Steel Gray Eyes Sequel
by Koori
Summary: My version of Season two using Steel Gray Eyes as movie. New installment every Tuesday. Chapter 6 is up. Conchobar kicks the bucket, again.
1. Kidnapped

Episode One: Kidnapped  
  
  
Sara Pezzini grabbed her jacket off the back of her chair. "You know I was thinking about Maria's murder. Maybe it was a favor for a city official."  
  
"You're starting to sound like Jake," Danny Woo said.  
  
"Seriously, Maria was known to...entertain powerful people," she'd had another vision about Maria's murder, all she had to do was come up with a way to prove it. To bad she couldn't figure out who the guy her best friend had been with was.  
  
Just then Jake McCartey popped his head into the office, "Captain wants to see you, Pez."  
  
"Ok. Danny, I'll see you after lunch."  
  
Sara left the office she shared with her partner and headed to Joe Siri's office. Knocking once she went inside. Joe sat at his desk. Bruno Dante sat in the chair across from him.  
  
"Ah, Sara," Joe said standing. "Captain Dante has some questions he'd like to ask you about the Red Cloth Murders."  
  
Sara nodded weakly. Bruno Dante ranked right up with Kenneth Irons on her least favorite people list. Looking at her watch, she shut the door. Hopefully this wouldn't take long otherwise she'd be late meeting Cianna and her friend Gabriel.  
  
  
"Is she always so punctual?" Gabriel Bowman asked.   
  
Cianna Templar rolled her eyes at him. "She's a cop, I'm sure she'll call soon."  
  
"Whatever, Ci," Gabe replied. "You always did have funny tastes in friends."  
  
"Must explain why I'm friends with you." Cianna replied taking a sip of her soda.   
  
"Now that hurts," Gabe said. "Anyway, why don't I go ahead and tell you what I found."  
  
"Ok, you might trigger my memory," Cianna said glancing out the window in the direction of Sara's precinct.  
  
"Hey guys," Sara plopped down in the booth next to Cianna. "Sorry I'm late."  
  
"Actually you're just in time," Cianna replied. "Gabe was just about to divulge his latest findings in the Witchblade."  
  
"I'm still trying to figure out what I could find out that you wouldn't know, Ci," Gabe said. "You know everything about the thing, though I'm not sure how."  
  
"We rich people have to our hobbies." Cianna laughed, as the waiter appeared to take their order.  
  
  
Kenneth Irons turned to face Ian Nottingham. "You have to do something about Sara's access to information. Should she find out too much at once it will put her in even more danger then she already is in. Has the Gallo problem struck again?"  
  
"Not to Sara's knowledge," Ian replied remembering the few attempts on Sara's life he'd thwarted. "Though if he sees Sara with Cianna he might go after Cianna just to hurt Sara."  
  
"That would be an interesting way to solve the other problem," Irons turned his chair back around away from Ian. "If Gallo goes after Ms. Templar do not help save her."  
  
Ian turned and exited the room. Gallo would go after Cianna, of that he was positive. But Irons didn't give the raven-haired girl enough credit. Cianna could take care of herself. And making sure no one else interfered hardly counted as helping save her.  
  
  
Cianna threw her jacket down on her couch that evening. She was starving but had just decided to come home and cook something. Now the real question was what to have. A noise made her turn towards the window. Ian stood on her fire escape holding a plastic bag up. Cianna laughed as she walked over to let him in.   
  
"You know I was just trying to decide what I wanted to eat," Cianna hugged him lightly as she took the bag. "You're an angel."  
  
Ian looked at her for a moment apparently unsure what to say. Cianna laughed again, putting the bag on the counter and pulling out the take-out containers. She opened one container to find sweet and sour pork. Grabbing a plate, she spooned out some rice then covered it with the pork.   
  
"Hungry?" she asked over her shoulder.  
  
"It is for you," came the reply.   
  
Turning, she blinked at him. "Are you hungry?" she repeated.  
  
Ian didn't reply but he walked towards her. She got a plate down from the cabinet and handed it to him. She walked back to the couch leaving him to fill his plate.  
  
He sat in a chair when he was finished. "You are in danger."  
  
"Tell me something new," Cianna replied.  
  
"Someone trying to hurt Sara may come after you instead."  
  
"Really, who?"  
  
"Tommy Gallo."  
  
"Who?" Cianna looked up from her plate.  
  
"Mobster," Ian kept his head down.   
  
Cianna shock her head. They finished the meal in silence. Ian took both of the plates and put them in the sink. Then he put the leftovers in the fridge. She sighed. He walked back to her.  
  
"If you need me," he handed her a piece of paper. "This is the number of my cell phone."  
  
"Thank you," Cianna smiled. "But I'm sure I'll be fine."  
  
  
Tommy Gallo's limo pulled up outside the apartment his people had found belonged to Sara Pezzini's new friend. He nodded to the two men seating across from him. Both got out and headed towards the building. Gallo smiled to himself, wondering how long it would take Sara to find her friend. Hopefully she wouldn't take too long. When Sara came, he would finally be able to kill her.  
  
His train of thought was broken when the two men shoved a girl into the seat across from him. Tommy shivered slightly as the girl locked her gray eyes with his.   
  
"Tommy Gallo I presume?"  
  
"You are correct Ms. Templar."   
  
"What do you want?"   
  
"Bait," Gallo replied touching the girl's black hair. "And you shall do nicely."  
  
  
Gabriel knocked on the door to Cianna's apartment. She hadn't showed up at the shop like she'd said she would. It was unusual for her to not keep her word. He knocked again. Maybe she had over slept.  
  
"Cianna?" he called.   
  
Now he was really worried. He looked around checking that the hall was empty. He found where Cianna had said she'd hidden the spare key. Unlocking the door, he went inside. There had obviously been a struggle. He checked all the rooms. Lamps and tables were knocked over. However nothing appeared to be missing. Cianna's laptop sat on the desk. Her TV was still in the cabinet. He turned to find Cianna's jacket on the couch.  
  
Gabe grabbed the jacket. Reaching into the pocket he found her cell phone and her wallet. Playing on a hunch, he turned the phone on and checked the speed dial list. Number one was Sara's home, and number two was Sara's office. He decided to try the office first.  
  
"Woo," A man said.  
  
"Is Sara Pezzini there?"  
  
"Yep, one sec."  
  
"Pez."  
  
"Sara, it's Gabriel. I think Cianna's been kidnapped. I'm at her apartment and she's not here but her jacket, wallet, and cell phone are. And it looks like there was a struggle."  
  
"Alright, I'm on my way."  
  
  
"Come on," Sara said hanging up the phone.   
  
"Where are we going?" Danny said standing.  
  
"Friend of mine missing," Sara replied grabbing her jacket. "Person who called said there might have been a struggle."  
  
"Pez, we're homicide not missing persons."   
  
"I know that," she said. "Just humor me."  
  
"I seem to be doing a lot of that lately."  
  
"Danny!"  
  
"I'm coming."  
  
Ten minutes later they pulled up to Cianna's building. Getting out, Sara looked around.   
  
"So who exactly is this friend?"  
  
"Her name is Cianna Templar," Sara walked up the stairs to the door. "I meet her a couple of weeks ago."  
  
Gabriel meet them at the door to the building. Following him up the stairs, Sara noticed smudge marks on the wall. Turning slightly, she pointed them out to Danny. They went into Cianna's apartment. There had defiantly been a struggle.   
  
"Any idea who would have kidnapped her?" Danny asked.  
  
"She's new in town," Gabriel said. "I knew her before she moved here."  
  
"Gallo," Sara said picking a card up off the floor. It was for a club Gallo hung out in. She handed it to Danny. "And I know why too. Me."  
  
"Well, this is just great," her partner replied.  
  
"Who's Gallo?"  
  
"You don't want to know," Sara said. "We'll go check this out. I'll call you when we find something."  
  
"Ok," Gabriel followed them towards the door.  
  
"By the way," Sara said. "How did you get in?"  
  
He held up a key. "Spare key, Cianna told me where she hide it."  
  
"Just checking," Sara said. "Don't worry we'll find her.   
  
  
Cianna sat tied to a chair. Tommy Gallo sat across from her eating lunch.   
  
"Comfortable?" Gallo asked.  
  
"Not really, but what do you care?"  
  
"You know," Gallo stood. "I could kill you whenever I wanted."  
  
"A live worm is more tempting then a dead one."  
  
"Oh, smart girl," Gallo stroked her hair again. "I like you."  
  
Cianna rolled her eyes, wishing she could get one of her arms free. She'd love to ring his neck. Sara, please hurry.  
  
  
Sara and Danny entered the club that evening. Together they searched for the contact Jake had within Gallo's group. He was standing off to one side by himself. Sara smiled at Danny as she headed towards him.   
  
"Hello Drexler," Sara said.  
  
"Detective Pezzini," the man replied looking around.  
  
"I'm looking for a friend of mine. Black hair, gray eyes. Have you seen her?"  
  
"Don't think so, but then I see so many people."  
  
"Let me refresh you memory," Sara stepped closer. "Her name is Cianna Templar."  
  
"Oh," Drexler replied. "Her! I don't know where she is." He dashed away from her.  
  
However Danny stopped him.   
  
"Sure you don't" Sara said when she reached them. "Where is she?"  
  
"Ok, ok," Drexler obviously didn't like the idea of confronting the two of them. "In the basement of a safe house in the Bronx. 433 Bennett Avenue. It's good."  
  
"Now that wasn't so hard," Sara said.   
  
She followed Danny out of the club.  
  
"Think he'll warn Gallo?" Danny asked.   
  
"No, that would expose his mistake."  
  
They got into the car. Danny started it up and drove off. "Shouldn't we call for backup?"  
  
"I don't want to put Cianna in danger. We'll just confirm she's there and then call for help."  
  
"OK," Danny replied.  
  
  
Ian followed the car Sara and her partner were in. He'd discovered Cianna's disappearance that afternoon when he'd seen Sara with her partner and the boy at her apartment. He would do as Irons had instructed, not help rescue her. However if he took out a few of Gallo's men he would be protecting Sara, and that was part of his job after all.   
  
  
Cianna had been moved from the table to an office. Gallo had untied her and then locked the door when he left. Cianna turned slowing looking for a way out. There was no windows and the only exit appeared to be the door. Breaking it down wouldn't be any trouble. Fighting her way out would however. She decided to wait. She could sense that Sara was on her way.  
  
  
Danny stopped the car a few blocks away from the address. Sara got out and crossed the street slowly. Danny followed a few seconds later. They walked in silence all to soon reaching the alley of the block with the building.   
  
"You wearing the vest?" Danny asked.  
  
"Of course, you?"  
  
"Always."   
  
Sara noticed movement near the door. Nottingham turned towards her.  
  
"Sara," he said walking towards them. "Cianna is inside. I've taken care of most of the outside guards." With that he climbed up a fire escape.  
  
"You're going to have to start introducing me to your friends," Danny said.  
  
"He isn't a friend," Sara replied. "More like a nuisance. However he and Cianna seem to get along. I trust him."  
  
"Well, now that we know she's here want me to go back to the car and call for backup."   
  
"Sure."  
  
"You'll stay put."   
  
"Yes."  
  
Danny turned and went back down the alley. Sara watched him leave before turning back to the door. She couldn't use the Witchblade with him around; she'd have to go in alone.  
  
*SARA!* Cianna's voice rang through her head.   
  
Sara kicked in the door. Cianna needed her. She pulled out her gun and quickly walked down the hall. She took out the first person she came to. Then crept down a set of stairs. She found herself standing in dark room.   
  
"Hello, Sara."  
  
"Gallo," Sara replied trying to figure out where his voice was coming from. She didn't have to search long as the lights came on.   
  
He was standing near a closed door. "So nice of you to come, I know of someone who just can't wait to see you."  
  
"Where is Cianna?"  
  
"Nearby."  
  
There was a noise behind Sara. What happened next was all a blur. Danny stood on the stairs. A gunshot filled the room. Danny fell done the stairs hitting the wall. Sara turned and shot Gallo in the chest just as the door he was standing near was kicked out. Cianna stepped out into the room. Sara ran to Danny's side, but it was to late, her partner was already dead.  
  
  
Days later, Cianna stood with Sara at Danny Woo's funeral. The investigation Sara had told her always took place when an officer was killed had already started. Cianna had talked to multiple people about what had happened. Sara wasn't doing very well. Cianna had been staying with her to keep an eye on her.   
  
When the funeral was over, Cianna followed her to the car, ignore the look Mrs. Woo gave them. Sara got in behind Jake McCarty. Cianna walked around the car with Captain Siri. The older man opened the door for her. Cianna smiled at him weakly in thanks, then got inside. She glanced over at Sara, who was staring out the window. Cianna leaned forward to see what had caught Sara's attention. Standing there near his grave was Danny Woo.  
  
  
  
Preview of next week's installment: Karen Bronte is killed. Boucher has one hand kidnap Cianna. Sara's attempt rescue her goes a little ascrew. Who's going to end up rescueing who? 


	2. Hostility

Episode 2: Hostility  
  
The ring of a telephone broke the morning silence. Cianna rolled over in her bed, left arm reaching for the phone. She found it on the fourth ring. "Hello."  
  
"Hey, Ci," came Gabe's far too cheerful greeting.  
  
"Gabe, if you are going to drag me to a club, don't call at..." Cianna looked at the clock. "10:30 in the morning."  
  
"Gee, sorry," Gabe said. "I was just calling to ask about Sara."  
  
"Oh," Cianna replied. "She seems to be doing better. She's got a new partner, Jake McCarty."  
  
"The rookie she complained about?"  
  
"Yes," Cianna said. "Well, I've got to go. I'm meeting a friend at 11:30."  
  
"A friend? You've been here a month. How many people can you possibly know?"  
  
"More then you think," Cianna replied. "Goodbye, Gabe." She hung up the phone and got out of bed.   
  
  
Sara slammed the car door shut then headed up the small hill towards the newest murder scene. I had been only a few days since Danny's funeral, but Sara was coping by working harder. Of course, her new partner wasn't helping.  
  
"Look," Jake said picking up a candle. "What leaves a mark like this?"  
  
"A hook," Sara replied dryly examining the skeleton in the snow. "She's posed. Vick's going to have fun with this one."  
  
"I wonder who she is."  
  
Sara didn't reply. There was something sticking out of the snow. Pulling it out, she brushed the snow off of a picture. There were two women, both blonde both beautiful. But which one if either was the dead girl.  
  
  
Cianna rolled her eyes as she walked out of an ally. Once again, Lazar was absolutely no help. Not that she'd really expected him to be. Her stomach made a noise. Looking around she spotted a diner, with a very familiar motorcycle sitting in front of it. As she expected, Ian was on top of a building across the street from the diner. She shook her head. Well, at least he's easy to locate, if you know where to look.  
  
Cianna tapped on the glass of the booth Sara was sitting at. Looking up startled, Sara waved her in.  
  
"Hey," Cianna said when she sat in the seat across from her. "What's so engrossing?"  
  
"Police business," Sara replied looking back down at a photo.  
  
"Karen Bronte."  
  
"What?  
  
Cianna pointed to the woman on the left, "That's Karen Bronte."  
  
"You know her?"  
  
"Not really, she works for Dominique Boucher, and unfortunately I've had dealings with Dominique," Cianna said before turning to the waiter who had appeared to take her order. "Cheeseburger no pickles, fries, and a Pepsi." The waiter nodded and walked away again.  
  
"I found this photo at a murder scene."  
  
"Really? Well, I heard Karen went missing a couple of days ago."  
  
Sara looked at her watch. "I've got to get back to the office. Thanks for the info. I'll call you later."  
  
"Ok."  
  
  
Sara flopped a missing persons file down in front of Jake. Jake looked up at her confused before opening the folder. It was Karen Bronte's folder.   
  
"I want you to get her dental records and have Vick run a comparison between them and the skeleton, ten to one they'll be a perfect match," Sara said sitting in her chair grabbing the phone book. "I'm going to talk to the girl's employer."  
  
"Um, Pez," Jake said. "Where exactly did you get this lead?"  
  
"The photo," Sara replied. "Someone identified the girl from the photo and told me she was missing."  
  
"Who identified?"  
  
"Jake, just do what I told you too."   
  
"Sure, Pez," Jake got up to leave the room.  
  
"You should be easier on him."  
  
Sara inhaled sharply she turned in her chair. Danny was standing behind her. He'd appeared a couple of times in the last few days. She was getting use to the concept of having him around, but he still scared her every time he popped up. "Well, I don't want to get Cianna too involved. If the killer gets wind he might go after her next."  
  
"Hasn't Cianna already proven to you she can take care of herself?"  
  
"Yes, well, I don't want her to have to."  
  
"Boy, you are over protective."  
  
"Danny, is there anything else? I'm kinda busy. Not that I don't enjoy talking to you again, but your timing stinks."   
  
"You should talk to Joe Siri."  
  
"About the case? Why?"  
  
"Not about the case, about who you really are." With that he disappeared.  
  
"Ok," Sara said softly as she returned to looking in the phone book.  
  
  
Irons turned his chair around to face Ian. "Dominique has always had her grasped set on the Witchblade. She had it then lost it. Now she wants it back. She claims to have had nothing to do with Karen's disappearance and murder. That remains to be seen. If she gets her hands on Cianna things could take a turn for the worse."  
  
"I thought you weren't concerned about Cianna's safety," Ian replied keeping his head down.  
  
"I do not want her giving Sara information, however that seems to be inevitable. Cianna could become useful, not only as a tool to control Sara, but also as a replacement for my need for Sara. However, Gabriel Bowman is a different story."  
  
  
Gabriel Bowman walked towards Cianna's apartment. Together they were going over to visit Sara. Gabe smiled to himself as he thought about the first time he meet Cianna. He'd gone to school with her in New Jersey. She was two years younger than him but still in his class. He actually hadn't talked to her until she was his partner in Computer Apps. He had been surprised at how quickly she learned things, also about how she seemed interested in everything. He wouldn't have passed a required history course if she hadn't volunteered to help him. After graduation he'd lost track of her. Then last month she'd knocked on his door. He'd been surprised at how much she'd grown up in two years. Before she'd been like a little sister. Now she was a woman, one who's beauty demanded his attention.   
  
Gabe didn't see the man who stepped in front of him. He ran right into the man. "Oops, sorry."  
  
"I need to speak with you."  
  
"Excuse me?" Gabe looked at the man. The man was taller then he, with black hair that was pulled up in a ponytail. Gabe didn't like the look in his eyes.  
  
"You are to stop talking to Sara Pezzini about the Witchblade."  
  
"What? I'm sorry, but you have no right to tell me whom I can and can't talk to about the Witchblade. Cianna asked me to get information for Sara and I plan on it. Besides Sara is a cop, and can make my life difficult."  
  
"Difficult," the man stepped closer to him. "I can make you pray for difficult." With that the man turned and left.  
  
(*Author's note* Yeah, yeah, I know, but I couldn't help myself)  
  
Gabe hurried up to Cianna's door. He pushed the buzzer.  
  
"Hello," Cianna said.  
  
"Hey Ci, you ready?"  
  
"Oh, Gabe, I called Sara. She isn't at home; she's got a new case. I'm just finishing dinner come on up."  
  
"Ok," Gabe said as he heard the door unlock. He took the stairs up to Cianna's apartment. She opened the door and he was assaulted by the smell of...well he wasn't sure what it was, but it smelled great. "What are you fixing?"  
  
"Garlic chicken and rice," Cianna hugged Gabe. "Hope you like it."  
  
"I'm sure I will," he said before looking out the nearest window.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked, her eyes full of concern.  
  
"I just had an encounter with a very scary man. Told me to stop talking to Sara."  
  
"Ian," she whispered.  
  
"Who?" Gabe said as he followed her towards the window where the fire escape was.  
  
"A friend," She looked out the window.  
  
"Friend? Cianna I don't think I like the idea of you being friends with this guy."  
  
"Oh, you don't have to worry about me. He won't hurt me, and when I'm done talking to him, he won't hurt you either."  
  
  
The next day, Ian was standing in an alley across from Dominique Boucher's modeling agency. Sara and her partner were inside. Irons was not happy that the Bronte girl had been killed. Dominique claimed to have no clue what had happened to the girl. Ian didn't really believe her.  
  
"Ian Nottingham, what the hell did you think you were doing?"  
  
Ian turned. Cianna was walking towards him. He mentally cursed himself for not being hidden well enough. Man, she did look pissed. "Hello Cianna. What exactly did I do?"  
  
"You know what you did. You threatened Gabriel," Cianna said. "He is my friend, and you will stay away from him. If Irons is that intent on monopolizing Sara's information about the Witchblade, then Gabe's life isn't the only one you will have to end."  
  
Ian swallowed as he looked into her eyes. He didn't want to hurt her. "Cianna, please, do not do this."  
  
"You'll have to kill me as well. Tell Irons that he will not control Sara, Gabriel or me."   
  
He closed his eyes as he nodded. "I will. Cianna be careful. There are things you don't know about. I don't want you to get hurt."  
  
"You don't have to worry about me. I can take care of myself. Just stay away from Gabe."   
  
With that she turned and left. Ian leaned back, resting his head against the wall.   
  
  
Dominique Boucher turned to her assistant as the bladewielder and her partner left. "There is another who could take the blade. Find her and bring her here."  
  
  
Sara was sitting on her couch cleaning her gun that night. There was a noise behind her. "I'm cleaning my gun and I don't think anyone would care if I blew your head off."  
  
"Sara, I..." Nottingham stepped into the light.  
  
She turned. Something wasn't right. Sara got off the couch. "What?"  
  
"Dominique Boucher had Karen Bronte killed," Ian looked at her. "She wore the Witchblade, and she wants it back. Karen was the granddaughter of the last bladewielder. Dominique is removing those who could control the Witchblade. She started with Karen, and now she has Cianna."  
  
Sara nodded. "You know where, I assume. Will you help me save her?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
  
Cianna woke up to find herself tied to a post her hands over her head. Not again, she thought.   
  
"Ah, you're awake."  
  
Cianna looked up at find Dominique coming into the room. "What do you want now, Dominique?"  
  
"You know, you little nuisance," Dominique said.  
  
"Well, I don't have the Witchblade."  
  
"I know you don't," Dominique spat. "Kenneth was a fool for allowing Sara Pezzini to have it."  
  
"No, he was a fool for letting you have it. And you are a fool for thinking he ever needed you. He never did and never will. Not need you or love you."  
  
Dominique slapped Cianna's face. "Shut up!" She glanced behind Cianna at something. "Ah, well you rescuer is here." Dominique left.  
  
Cianna sighed. She'd just gotten done telling Gabe and Ian she could take care of herself and now look where she was. She'd been returning to her apartment after walking Gabe to his car when someone clocked her. It had turned out to be Dominique's one-handed assistant. Why me? She thought.  
  
  
Ian followed Sara into the Boucher Modeling Agency's building. Dominique's assistant meet the in the lobby.  
  
"I'm afraid Miss Boucher is not available for further questioning, Detective Pezzini. Call ahead next time."  
  
"This isn't about the case," Sara replied holding up her right wrist. "This is about the Witchblade and Cianna Templar."  
  
The man lunged at Sara revealing that he had a hook in place of his hand. The image of the candle at the Bronte murder scene returned to her. Ian grabbed the man's single wrist.   
  
"Go, Sara," Ian said as he shoved the man to the side. "I will take care of him. Find Cianna." Ian watched her leave the room.  
  
  
Sara entered another room. On the wall was a portrait of a woman in Chinese dress, but she had Sara's own face.  
  
"Hello, Bladewielder."  
  
Sara turned to find Dominique Boucher walking towards her. "You want the blade, and I want Cianna."  
  
"You can not just give the Witchblade away."  
  
"Where is Cianna?"  
  
"Closer then you think," Dominique replied. "The Witchblade belongs to me."  
  
Sara removed the Witchblade from her wrist, she tossed it to Dominique, "Now where is Cianna?"  
  
Dominique put the bracelet on. She took a step towards Sara, who tried to step around her. Sara started towards the door. She felt something hit her in the back of the head, sending her to the floor.  
  
  
Ian had taken a way different then Sara. He'd found the stairs to the basement easily. However he'd been searching for Cianna for several minutes without finding her. He rounded the corner and heard voices.  
  
"Sara," Cianna said.  
  
"A pathetic excuse for a wielder," Dominique said.  
  
"Let her go," Cianna replied. "The blade will not listen to you, and you know it. It will listen to me though. Just let Sara go?"  
  
"Funny I just heard this from her."  
  
"Oh, you..." Cianna stopped. "Untie my and I will show you just how little you know about the Witchblade."  
  
Ian stepped into the room. Sara was lying on the floor; Cianna was tied to a post, with Dominique standing over her. When they heard Ian both women looked at him. Dominique's eyes narrowed.  
  
"Well if it isn't Kenneth's slave," she remarked.  
  
Ian ignored her words. Cianna however seemed to only be getting madder.  
  
"Witchblade," Cianna's voice rang out through the room. "Come to me."  
  
Dominique looked shocked at her as the Witchblade fell from her wrist, and found its way onto Cianna's. Ian made his way to Sara's side. He checked on her quickly when he reached her. She seemed to be fine. He looked up to see Cianna covered in the tendrils of the Witchblade. He smiled slightly. Next to Sara, Cianna was the only person alive who deserved the Witchblade's power.  
  
"Now, now," Dominique said as she backed into a wall. "We can discuss this."  
  
"Hardly," Cianna said. "You killed a descendant of a past wielder, and attacked the current wielder. You wish to use the blade for your own desires. You do not deserve to live."  
  
"Cianna," Ian warned. "That's the blade talking."  
  
"Maybe it is," Cianna turned to face him. "But its true."  
  
"Kill me, I no longer care," Dominique replied.  
  
"Gladly."  
  
The blade of the Witchblade extended. Cianna stabbed Dominique through the heart. The woman slid down the wall and off the blade. The tendrils retracted back to the Witchblade, as did the blade. The bracelet fell from Cianna's wrist. She crumpled on the floor next to the bracelet. Ian watched her sit there hugging her knees. After looking down at Sara he stood and went over to the girl. He wasn't sure what he should do. He'd never been in a situation like this before. He knew that he should probably return to Irons, but he couldn't leave them here like this. Who knew when Sara would wake up, and Cianna was in no condition to be left alone.  
  
He kneeled beside her and reached out to touch her arm. She turned and buried her face in his shoulder. He reached down and slid the Witchblade towards Sara. As he suspected, the blade returned to her wrist. Returning his attention to Cianna, he put his arms around her. He rocked her slightly until the crying subsided and the only sound coming from her was the even breathing of sleep.   
  
  
Consciousness returned quickly to Sara. She opened her eyes while trying to clear her head. Across the room lay Dominique's body and next to it were Ian and Cianna. Ian picked Cianna up effortlessly and started towards her.   
  
"She cried herself to sleep," Ian said.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Ian stopped in front of her. "She called the Witchblade to her. Its anger at Dominique forced her to kill her. It frightened Cianna."  
  
"Poor thing," Sara reached out and touched the girls face. The Witchblade swirled slightly, and Sara thought she felt remorse coming for the blade. Was the weapon actually sorry for what it had done? "I'll call Gabriel when we get her back to her apartment."  
  
"About him, Sara," Ian said. "Irons does not want him giving you information. I threaten him. He told Cianna and she was not happy with me."  
  
"I'm sure she'll forgive you," Sara smiled.   
  
  
As soon as Sara called Gabe rushed over to Cianna's apartment. Sara buzzed him in and he raced up the stairs. She was all right! Cianna was safe and sound and unharmed. He knocked on the door, which Sara opened. He hurried in and stopped dead in his tracks. The man who threatened him was there.  
  
"What is he doing here?" Gabe asked Sara.  
  
"He helped me save Cianna, or actually he help Cianna save herself. I wasn't much use," Sara pointed towards Cianna's bedroom. "She's awake again."  
  
Gabe knocked on the door before he entered. Cianna was sitting on her bed her chin resting on her right knee. He'd never seen her look so vulnerable. "Hey," he said softly as he sat next to her.   
  
"Hi," Cianna replied leaning on him. "I killed someone today Gabriel. Ian said it was the blade not me, but something deep inside of me keeps telling me I wanted her to die. I'm scared."  
  
"It will be fine," Gabe said putting his arm around her. She turned her face towards her. Something in her eyes told him to kiss her and he did. Cianna seemed to relax as she put her arms around him. Together they fell back on the bed. Her kiss was so full of passion. When Gabe was finally forced to pull away, he looked into her eyes. "Wow."  
  
"You have no idea how many times I wanted you to kiss me," Cianna replied. "I had a crush on you. But I was only 16."  
  
"Well, you've changed a lot in two years. You're gorgeous."  
  
She smiled in the instant before their lips meet again.  
  
  
In the living room, Sara felt a shudder of amusement come off the Witchblade. She glanced from it to the door of Cianna's room. Ian, who was moving towards her, just shrugged. Sara smile, well she hoped Cianna and Gabriel were enjoying themselves. "Come on, Nottingham, they don't need us around. She's in good hands."  
  
Ian looked at her confused for a moment before heading towards the door. Sara laughed as she followed him out of the apartment.  
  
  
  
Next Week: As Ian confronts conflicting emotions in the current situation; members of the Black Dragon unit resurface. After stopping an attempt on Irons' life, Cianna and Sara must save Ian from not only his past but also himself. 


	3. Turmoil

Episode 3: Turmoil  
  
  
Sara Pezzini walked into Joe Siri's office for what would probably be the last time. He was retiring today. Life around the department was going to change fast. Bruno Dante was being put in charge of Homicide. She hated Dante, with a passion. The man just irked her. And of course, who was standing in Joe's office but him.  
  
"Pezzini," Dante said. "About time?"  
  
Ignoring him, Sara looked at Joe, who was sitting at his desk. "You wanted to see me."  
  
"Yes, Sara," Joe replied. "Its about the Boucher case."  
  
Sara practically choked. She didn't even know there was a Boucher case. "Um, well, I heard she was dead and when I found evidence that connected her assistant to the Bronte case, I closed it. But I didn't know anyone was investigating Ms. Boucher death."  
  
"Actually I am," Dante spoke up.  
  
Sara turned towards him. "And this has what to do with me?"  
  
"Witness saw you come out of the building with a man, who was carrying a woman."  
  
"Really, you think I'd remember something like."  
  
  
Ian Nottingham stood on a rooftop near Sara's building watching a man move through a crowd of people. The man ducked into an alley across the street. Ian headed towards the fire escape ladder. Quickly, he climbed down to the street and headed after the man. He knew exactly who he was, and where he was headed. Thankfully Sara wasn't home from work yet. He should have just enough time to slay him.  
  
The man turned as he stepped over a pile of trash. He raised a gun with a silencer. Ian moved behind a dumpster, waiting for his adversary to advance. The man did quickly. A second before he reached the end of the dumpster Ian stepped out and wrenched the gun from his hand. He pointed it at the man's head and pulled the trigger once. There was a noise behind him. At the end of alley stood Cianna and a strange blonde haired man. The stranger turned and left the alley. Cianna started moving near him closing the distance in half before she stopped.  
  
  
Lazar had explained to what Ian's assignment had been before he was to watch the Blade. He had also explained that the remaining three had come to NYC, sent by the Watchers, they were to do more then kill Irons. They were to also retake the Witchblade, killing Sara and anyone else connected to the Blade if necessary.   
  
Cianna watched Ian walk towards him. The first time she had seen him outside the Midtown museum on the eleventh, she'd known she'd never fear him. Even after what she had just witnessed him do, she stilled didn't. However he seemed to think she did. He stopped about three feet in front of her, with his head lowered. So it had come to this. Cianna took one step towards him before speaking. "Look at me."  
  
He did. His expression was blank, but his eyes were filled with sorrow. "I'm sorry you had to see that."  
  
"I've seen combat and death before," she raised her chin slightly. "No reason to apologize."  
  
"It wasn't that. I..." he looked away.  
  
Cianna sighed. She watched him climb up a fire escape and out of view on the rood. She sighed again and turned back tracking her way around the trash piles and cardboard. He'd understand on of these days, hopefully.  
  
After she'd walked several blocks, Ian stepped out of an alley and began walking just slightly behind her. She of course knee what he was doing. With two Black Dragons remaining Sara and she were still in danger. Sara was safe as long as she had the Witchblade, but while Cianna had lifetimes of training she carried no weapon to defend herself. Hence Ian sticking close to her.  
  
Both of them started to speak at the same time. "Go ahead," Cianna said.  
  
"I'm sorry," Ian replied.  
  
"Stop that!"   
  
"What?"  
  
"Lazar told me about them. I know why you had to kill him," Cianna sighed. "You're following orders, I know that."  
  
"But Irons could..."  
  
"What? Decide to want me killed," she laughed slightly. "One, I don't think you would. Two, I don't think you could."  
  
"He could decide to allow the Black Dragons kill you."  
  
"And what would you do if he did?"  
  
"I would die protecting you."  
  
"As you would do for Sara."  
  
  
Sara jumped when her phone rang. She looked around slightly. She'd fallen asleep on the couch right after she'd gotten home from work. She was so glad the next day was her day off. Finding the cordless unit under a nearby pillow, she yawned.  
  
"Sara?" Cianna said. "Did I wake you up?"  
  
"Yes, thanks," Sara replied. "I'd fallen asleep on the couch before I had a chance to eat dinner."  
  
"Good," Cianna said. "Can you meet me somewhere?"  
  
"Um, I guess," Sara sighed. "Where?"  
  
Cianna named a restaurant near Sara's apartment. After agreeing to meet her there in an hour and a half, she took a quick shower and changed into some nicer cloths and headed out the door. It was a short walk. Cianna sat at a table in the back, her black hair flowing behind her when she turned to wave Sara over. Sara sat down and immediately grabbed the menu.  
  
"So, what's good?" Sara asked.  
  
"I don't know I've never eaten here. I just saw the place the other day."  
  
"Oh, so what's the problem?" Sara said. "You sounded awful rushed on the phone. You and Gabe having a lovers quarrel?"  
  
"Nothing that simple," Cianna remarked as the waitress made an appearance. "Um, nothing really jumps out at me. Suggestions?"  
  
"The beef stew is good. So is the roast chicken," the woman replied.  
  
"Roast chicken then," Cianna said. "Sara?"  
  
"Same," Sara handing the woman her menu.  
  
Cianna handed the waitress her menu, then waited for the woman to leave before continuing the conversation. "Do you know what Ian did before Irons had him start watching you?"  
  
"Not a clue," Sara sighed. "Why?"  
  
"Well, a lot of his training came from a military unit that Irons supplied drugs for. It also included some rather risky operations to their brains."  
  
Sara, jaw agape, just stared at her.  
  
Cianna sighed. "Please don't think any less of him. Actually he doesn't even know that I know. Anyway, the group was disbanded, and the members began dying off. Irons was having Ian kill them. There's only three left, well two now."  
  
"The body found in the alley by my apartment today?"  
  
Cianna gulped. "Yeah, I, um, saw Ian shot him. But it's not his fault, its Irons'. Well, anyway, the remaining two members are on a mission contracted by the Watchers."  
  
"The group the Catholic church formed?"  
  
"Yes, they are to retrieve the Witchblade using whatever means necessary."  
  
"They'd try to kill me?"  
  
"More then just you if it came to it, they would also kill Gabriel and myself. And just out of personal vendetta they'll go after Irons."  
  
"Wow"  
  
  
Late the next morning, Irons sighed as he sat down at his desk. He had called Cianna to ask her to come to the office and talk. Miraculously, she'd agreed. He turned his chair to face the wall. He wished to discuss the Watchers. Over the years he had had little contact with the group, and knew little about them. The girl seemed to know about everything concerning the Witchblade, she'd no doubt know about this as well. Of course, when it came to the remaining Black Dragon members, he had the upper hand. Not only did he know what kind of training they had had, he also had Ian. Speaking of Ian, he hadn't called in yet. Oh, well, Irons would check with him when the girl left it he hadn't returned.  
  
The door to the office slid open. Ian stepped in the room followed by a girl in a gray skirt suit. The last time Irons had seen her, Kerry had had control of her body. Now, it was obvious the power Cianna held. Irons felt the interlocked circle scar on his hand burn slightly as he stood and walked around the desk.  
  
The girl held out her hand. "I believe we have not been formally introduced. My name is Cianna Templar."  
  
"Kenneth Irons," he replied taking her hand and raising it to his lips. But while he knew such an act would earn him a sneer from Sara, Cianna face remained completely blank. Powerful, indeed.  
  
"You said you wish to discuss the Watchers, Mr. Irons."  
  
"Please call me Kenneth. May I get you anything?"  
  
"No thank you," Cianna replied moving towards a chair.  
  
Irons pulled it out slightly so she could sit. He then rounded the desk and returned to his seat. He looked up Ian then nodded. His servant left the office. "Now about the Watchers."  
  
  
Ian watched the exchange between Cianna and Irons with great interest on a closed circuit camera in a nearby room. He had seen a tape of Sara's first exchange with Irons and this conversation reminded him greatly of it. Of course, while Sara had been able to hold her own against Irons, it was clear that Cianna knew how to deal with men of Irons' position. Her expression had not changed when Irons had tried to rile her. Nor did she seem to be allowing him to dictate the conversation as greatly as he wished.   
  
An hour later, Cianna stood and left the office. When Irons nodded at the camera Ian went into the office and took his normal post.   
  
"She has far more self-discipline then Sara," Irons walked around his desk towards where Ian stood. "She will be hard to control, however with time I believe she can be manipulated."  
  
"Possibly," Ian replied. "And if she cannot be?"  
  
"If you are asking if you are to kill her, no," Irons said. "Lazar would be angered by such an act, and his anger often comes as a warning of the Witchblade's anger."  
  
"The blade has that much use for her?"  
  
"Presumably, why else would it have allowed her to control it when Sara was unconscious? I know you would rather be making sure she is safe. Go."  
  
  
Cianna seethed as she walked down the street away from the wretched man's building. At least she had managed to surprise him, though it had taken all her self control to keep from slapping him. Or worse. She stopped suddenly wondering what Ian would do if she or Sara attacked Irons. Would he stand there and let them free him, or would he die defending a man who did not deserve his loyalty?   
  
Distracted in her thoughts Cianna did not notice the man who came at her. She suddenly found herself being into an alley, a hand over her mouth. She struggled and managed to extract herself from her captures grip. She spun on her heel and caught the guy on the jaw with her fist. Finally able to see his face, she realized it was a Black Dragon member who had caught her. He cursed and spit out a tooth.  
  
Cianna smiled at him. He glared at her for a moment before he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a gun. Her eyes widen as he leveled it at her. She leapt behind a garbage bin as he fired at her.  
  
  
"All units, shots fired..."  
  
Sara reached down and turned up the volume on the radio before returning her attention to the road. For once she'd decided to pull rank on Jake and drive. Now she turned the car down an alley and in a direction she didn't really want to go. Towards Cianna's home.   
  
She and Jake reached the area minutes later. By now they could hear the gun fire. This was bad.   
  
"Over there!" Jake pointed towards an alley farther down the road.   
  
The sound of a bullet penetrating metal caused Sara to slam on the break.  
  
"Nope I think right here," she said before she opened the door and rolled away from the car.   
  
  
Cianna leapt behind another dumpster. This was getting old. He'd already shot up two, nothing was stopping him from doing the same to a third. And he'd already proven he had more then one clip on him. In that moment of desperation, she saw Sara roll away from a car. Yes! Finally, some help!   
  
The gun on her attacker came into view. In an instant he could turn and she'd be a sitting duck. Then again Cianna would never make a good duck. She kicked the gun, sending it flying. When she stepped around the dumpster, he swung at her. She sidestepped out of the way before connecting her foot to his gut. He grabbed her around the waist when he recovered. She struggled as he spun around putting her between him and Sara's gun.   
  
Cianna heard a noise overhead. She looked up to find Ian standing at the edge of the rooftop. He looked down at her expectedly. Alright, Ian, she thought. I guess if I want you to stop treating me like I child I'll just have to prove myself. Her capture had made the mistake of allowing her arms to be free. She reached up and placed a hand on either side of his head. Using the strength of an ancient warrior, she snapped his neck.   
  
  
Sara stared as Cianna as her attackers body slid to the ground behind her.   
  
"Wow," Jake said as he came around the car.  
  
"Cianna," Sara ignored him and started walking towards the black haired girl. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Quite," Cianna replied as she headed towards a nearby fire escape latter.  
  
"Where are you going?" Jake asked.  
  
"You two can take care of this," Cianna said as she pulled the ladder down. "I've someone I must speak to." With that she was gone.  
  
"Interesting girl," Jake said.  
  
  
Ian moved across the rooftop away from the scene. He had never meant for Cianna to be put in danger. His own failure could have cost her life.   
  
"Ian wait!"  
  
He turned to find Cianna running towards him. "What?" he replied his anger with himself putting an edge on his voice.  
  
Cianna stopped dead in her tracks. Ian sighed. First he had put her danger, now he had frightened her. "I am sorry."  
  
"I told you to stop that," Cianna replied. "And you can stop treating me like a child. I can take care of myself."  
  
"Maybe, but it is my responsibility as a Guardian of the Witchblade to keep you safe."  
  
"No, it is your responsibility to keep the Wielder safe, I am a Guardian just as you. And I can take care of myself."  
  
  
Days later, Sara walked into the office after going for coffee to find Jake reading something on his computer. "What do you got?" handing him a mug of coffee.  
  
Jake accepted the mug then turned back to the screen. "It's strange, but it comes from a good source. The attacker was in a special experimental warfare program where troops were used as guinea pigs. They were given psychotropic drugs and made to watch films designed to induce obedience and aggression."  
  
Sara shook her head as she took a sip of her coffee. "Like South Park reruns?" she asked tried to lighten the mood.  
  
"I'm serious," Jake replied. "It was an internationally recruited unit. They often went through extremely realistic and dangerous war games. The name of the unit was the Black Dragons.  
  
"The guy found in the alley had a dragon tattoo on his neck."  
  
"So you're thinking that's connected, me too," Jake took another sip of his coffee. "There were eleven men in the Black Dragon unit. The program was disbanded three years ago. As of today, only two of the eleven are still alive. The others have all died under mysterious circumstances in the past year. The two Black Dragons left alive are a guy named Hector Mobius, a.k.a. Moby, and a guy named Nottingham."  
  
Sara looked at Jake suspiciously. "You got some fed. connections?"  
  
"If only."  
  
  
Ian followed Moby's van through the streets of New York. He glanced any from the road as he passed the 11th precinct. Pushing thoughts of Sara out of his head he returned his attention to the car he was tailing. Moby's car stopped in front of a diner. Ian slowed down as he passed, then turned into an ally farther down the street. From his vantage point he saw Moby get out and walk into the diner.  
  
Ian opened the door and stepped out of his car. Closing the distance between the to vehicles in seconds, he pulled a lock pick out of his pocket. The door was easy enough to get unlocked. Pulling it opened he got inside. As he looked behind a curtain, lights flashed in a preprogrammed pattern. Ian's body went into seizures as he fell floor of the van.  
  
  
Hector Mobius left the diner to return to his van. He opened the door to find Nottingham on the floor as he had expected. Pulling a needle and syringe out of his pocket. He stuck it into Nottingham's arm. Smiling to himself, he shoved his former comrade feet out of his way, then started the van.  
  
  
Gabe stood checking some inventory in his storage area. He looked up to find Cianna smiling at him holding a shipping box. Taking the box, he put it on the table. He glanced at Cianna worriedly for a moment. She'd been acting funny ever since that ex-Black Dragon member had attacked her. He was worried of course, but he just keep reminding himself that she could keep his butt if she wanted, so he didn't have to worry about her as much.  
  
"You know," Cianna coughed lightly. "You really need to clean this closet up."   
  
"When do I have time," Gabe replied.  
  
"I don't know," Cianna said.  
  
  
Moments later Cianna's cell phone started ringing. She pulled it out of her pocket. "Hello."  
  
"The roaring of lions, the howling of wolves, and the destructive sword are portions of eternity too great for the Iron Man."  
  
"Hello, Mobius," Cianna replied coldly. "How are the Watchers doing these days?"  
  
The only reply was the click of her being hung up on. Typical. She grabbed her coat and headed towards the door. "I've got to go, Gabe. We've got trouble."  
  
"Ok, be careful."  
  
"I will."  
  
  
The Witchblade swirled madly on Sara's wrist. Worried that Jake might notice Sara found an excuse to leave. As she headed towards the Morgue to talk to Vicky Po, her cell phone rings.  
  
"Yes," Sara said answering it.  
  
"Get over to Irons' Mansion," Cianna replied. "Moby has Ian and Irons."  
  
"Ok," Sara said. "I'll meet you at the gate.   
  
Twenty minutes later, due to traffic, Sara pulled her bike to a stop next to Cianna's silver Saturn. An obviously worried Cianna came around to meet her. Sara looked from the mansion to her friend. "Plan?"  
  
"Um," Cianna smiled weakly. "Not really. I'm sure they're in the study, though, and well, only way that Ian would be taken captive is if something happened to knock him out."  
  
"Or if Moby just killed him."  
  
"Let's not think about that," Cianna said. "Ok, they'll go in together, and once we can see what's going on, we'll come up with something else."  
  
"After you," Sara said gently pushing Cianna towards the gate. She followed to the gate, then at Cianna's urging holds the Witchblade up to a control panel. The gate opened with a click, as it had when Ian had put his eye to it lens to allow them entrance when Kerry had needed to be stopped.   
  
Together the two women headed put the drive. Before Sara was truly ready they were in the mansion, and heading towards study. They climbed up a set of stairs. Voices came to them from down the hall.   
  
"If the lion were advised by the fox he would be cunning," Irons said  
  
"The fox condemns the trap, not himself. Active evil is better than passive good," a man, obviously Mobius said.  
  
"Ok," Cianna whispered when they reached the door to the study's balcony. "Stay here I'm going back down and going the other way."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Sara," Cianna insisted.  
  
"Ok," Sara pulled the Witchblade off her wrist. "But you're taking this."  
  
  
Cianna gulped as Sara slid the bracelet onto her wrist. Well, since she was basically making the Wielder sit her and twiddle her thumbs for her own protection, she'd humor her by wearing the Witchblade. Nodding to Sara she left her and headed back down the stairs. She listened to the confrontation inside the study as she went.  
  
"It all makes sense. You are the dragon, he is your flame, and Sara Pezzini is the maiden. Only you have corrupted her somehow. So now she too will die."  
  
Cianna rolled her eyes. This was all Irons' own fault. And if the Watcher's hadn't been involved she'd be more then happy to let Moby take him out. She reached the side door to the study.  
  
"Now I am the dragon and you shall be licked by my flame," the sound of a flame thrower followed Moby's voice. "Now you perhaps know the fear my comrades felt as you hunted them down. Was it because you were afraid they would fly too high? Was it because you thought we were crazy? Dangerous? Was it because you couldn't control us? Or is it because you are a leach on a lesion? Full of lusts, greed and morbid curiosity. Does it surprise you that I choose this as your final memory?"  
  
Cianna had heard enough. She stepped into the room. Irons was tied to a chair in front of the fireplace. Ian was tied up to a hand truck next to him. "Alright, Moby. This hardly constitutes as trying to retake the Witchblade."  
  
Moby turned, surprised. "The Child, how fitting." He sent fire streaming across the room towards her.  
  
She simply held up the Witchblade which remained in bracelet form. The flames spread out around her. Seeing she was unharmed, Moby shut the flame thrower off. Cianna closed the space between them quickly. The gauntlet formed on her wrist, and she clocked Moby in the jaw with it. He staggered slightly as she back flipped out of the way of his return blow. She landed in a crouch in front of Irons and Ian.   
  
"Freeze," Sara's voice came down from over head.   
  
Not waiting to see what happened, Cianna turned and cut Ian lose from the hand truck. He raced at Moby. Cianna turned to Irons, who seemed to expect to be cut lose also. Shaking her head, Cianna joined Sara, who had leapt down from the balcony.   
  
"Took you long enough," Sara said.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
Soon Ian had Moby pinned down. Cianna stood over him, smiling. "This is what you get for working for the Watchers. Who's pulling the strings, now?"  
  
"I know not," Moby mumbled.   
  
"Well, they certainly left you well informed," Cianna shook her head. "Kill him."  
  
"What?" Sara said.  
  
"Sara, if we don't he'll come after you," Ian said.   
  
"Untie me," Irons spoke up. "I believe I should have a say in this."  
  
"No," Cianna said as she gave Sara the bracelet back. "You've caused enough trouble."  
  
  
Sara turned away from Ian and Cianna. As much as she hated to, she had to untie Irons. Suddenly there was a scuffling behind her and she heard Cianna yell at her. Sara turned, the Gauntlet of the Witchblade appearing on her. Moby was coming at her. Without, thinking Sara stabbed the blade into his stomach. He didn't stop moving until up to the hilt of the blade was in him.  
  
"You have got the wrong dragon.", he warned her.  
  
The Witchblade retracted back to the bracelet. Moby fell in a heap at her feet. Ian was there quickly, moving the body away from her. Ian looked Sara in the eye for once, sending a chill through her. Cianna walked past her and untied Irons.  
  
"Thank you, Ms. Templar," Irons said. "And you as well Sara. Well done." With that he left, Ian right behind him.   
  
Sara looked down at Moby's body, before nodding at Cianna. Together they followed the men out of the room. 


	4. Hatred

I should have done this sooner. I would like to thanks SciFi_Angel for her transcripts of the show. They really make my life a whole lot easier.  
  
  
Episode 4:   
  
The body was found tied to a round stone in a warehouse. Her chest had a large stab wound, but there was little blood. On the wall behind the stone was carved a strange symbol which Sara instructed the photographer to take extra pictures of. Other then that the place was rather empty.  
  
"Vampires?" Jake asked.  
  
"Doubtful," Sara replied.  
  
Pagan sacrifice," Jake continued.  
  
"Jake!" Sara snapped. "Cut it out."  
  
"Well," Jake said pointing at the symbol on the wall. "You explain that."  
  
"I can't," Sara said as she pealed the latex gloves off her hands. "But I know someone who might be able, too."  
  
  
Irons stood over the old book in his office. Things were happening as they had before. He smiled to himself. Yes all was as it should be.  
  
  
"What time did you discover the body?" Jake asked the security guard who he had found.  
  
"6:17 am," the guard replied. "Scared the rats off the body, secured the scene, didn't touch a thing."  
  
"Nice job, Mister ..."  
  
"Officer," the guard said. "Brian Reilly. Two L's. Bunker Force Security. Badge 4012."  
  
Jake saw a blonde woman walk past.  
  
The guard took off after her "Iona! No ..." He put an arm around her to stop her. "Iona, don't go in there."  
  
"Brian, what happened?" Iona replied.  
  
"Nothing much. Let's get you out of here," he started to lead her away.  
  
"The boys at the mission are freaked," Iona allowed Brain to led her back over to Jake. "Is it anybody we know?"  
  
"No, no."   
  
The pair had made it over to Jake. "Excuse me, Miss ..."  
  
"Iona McCleary," she replied. "I run the soup kitchen up on Claire Street."   
  
"I may want a list of names, your ... customers last night," Jake said.   
  
"No way," Iona replied. "My mission is a sanctuary and my men are homeless - it doesn't make them evil." She began to walk away  
  
"Hey, hey!" Jake said putting a hand on her shoulder Let's just step inside where it's a little warmer. C'mon."  
  
  
"I don't read ruins," Cianna exclaimed. It was true, she didn't read them. However, she did know what the one Sara was showing her meant, trouble. Big time. She handed the photo back to Sara. "So where'd you find it?"  
  
"Murder scene," Sara put the photo back on her desk.   
  
Cianna stared at her for a moment from Sara's partner's chair. Not again. When would people learn Cathain wasn't going to rise, certainly not when a symbol for him is in the same city, let alone in the same room. "Well, maybe Gabe will come up with something." Hopefully he won't.  
  
"Hey Sara," Sara's partner entered the office. "Captain is looking for you."  
  
"Great," Sara mumbled.   
  
"Pezzini!"   
  
A man stepped around Jake into the office. When Cianna finally looked up at him a chill ran down her spine.   
  
"Oh," the man said stepping towards Cianna. "I don't believe we've meet. I'm Captain Bruno Dante."  
  
"Cianna Templar," she replied coldly.  
  
"Pleasure to meet you," Dante said ignoring her tone. "Pezzini, get in my office."  
  
Sara sighed. Cianna smiled at her. After she'd left Cianna reached over for the case file. She was about to flip it open when McCarty cleared his throat. Standing she grabbed the file and moved over to Sara's chair. She saw the man raise an eyebrow at her. She smiled to herself.   
  
"The file, miss," McCarty said.  
  
"Oh," Cianna handed the folder to him.  
  
  
"Your case is not a homicide."  
  
"Not a homicide?" Sara stared at Dante in shock  
  
"That's right," Dante replied.  
  
"Freak strangled her with a silk cord, Captain," Sara said "Ran some kind of sandstone spike through her chest."  
  
"After she was dead," Dante stood from his chair. "Your D.B. was a Jane Doe. Homeless woman. Stolen from the morgue."  
  
"What?" Sara exclaimed. "You get this from the coroner's report?"   
  
"That's right," Dante flashed that smile of his that made Sara's skin crawl. "But you should have caught it at the scene. You've got theft of a body, illegal sale of human remains, ritual mutilation, but ... my apologies to The Village Voice ... no human sacrifice."  
  
"Well, maybe he didn't kill this time, but he will."  
  
"When he does, we go to work. Until then, you move on to something else."  
  
"It's a big mistake," Sara growled as she turned to leave.  
  
"Excuse me," Dante reached down and picked his name plate of his desk. "Read this."  
  
"Captain."  
  
"On your desk it reads Detective."  
  
"I know that. I'm just saying that ..."  
  
Dante stepped way to close to her for Sara's comfort. "I know what you're saying. You know what I'm saying?"  
  
"Yes. Captain," Sara turned and stormed out of Dante's office. As she went to enter her own she practically ran into Gabe. "Find anything?"   
  
"Yeah," Gabe walked around and kissed Cianna. He put the photo Sara had given him on the desk. "Conchobar."  
  
"Concho-what?" Jake said.  
  
"Conchobar," Gabe said. "He's an alt-Irish rocker."  
  
"A real poet they say," Cianna spoke up.  
  
Sara looked at the girl for a second then just shock her head.  
  
"Sells out every show on word of mouth alone," Gabe held up three tickets, "However, I have tickets."  
  
"Good job," Jake said. "But why three?"  
  
"Who said you were going?" Gabe said. "Tickets are for Sara, Cianna, and myself."  
  
  
Ian saw Sara enter the club with Cianna and Gabriel. Cianna spotted and moved with Gabriel towards his table in the corner. The young woman warrior's face was full of concern. She seemed to understand what was going on as much Ian and Irons did.   
  
"Gabe," Cianna turned to her companion when she reached the table. "Could you get me a drink?"  
  
"Sure," Gabe eyed Ian before turning and leaving.  
  
Cianna sat next to Ian. "I am not going to let that Irish bastard use a Wielder again."  
  
"How can you even be sure he knows," Ian replied.  
  
"I cannot," Cianna said. "But I will not risk it."  
  
  
Sara walked slowly through the crowd towards the stage. The man on the stage looked up from his song. Their eyes meet. Sara felt as though her heart would leap out of her chest. She could not break eye contact until he was finished with his song. He handed his guitar to one of the other men on stage, then he leapt down and came to her.   
  
"Good song," Sara said.  
  
"Good band," he started to lead her towards the bar. "I know you."  
  
"Sara Pezzini," she said as she sat on a barstool. "Now you know me."  
  
"No, we've met. We'll figure out where," he sat on the stool next to her. The bartender put two beers in front of them. He noticed her grimace at the glass. "Don't you like beer?"  
  
"I don't like mud," she replied.  
  
"Aye, a scrappy one."  
  
"You have no idea."  
  
  
Gabriel turned from the bar with the beers he'd gotten himself and Cianna. As he did he bumped into a blonde that was looking at Sara and Conchobar. The woman whispered something then left quickly. He gave the woman's back a strange glance then headed towards the table.  
  
  
"Conchobar," Sara pointed to the banner over the stage. "The symbol on the banner. That's your name, right?"  
  
"You read runes?"  
  
"No, just that one," Sara replied taking out her badge. "It was found carved on the wall at the scene of a recent murder."  
  
"I haven't killed anyone lately," Conchobar replied.  
  
"So, what was it doing there?"  
  
"I hear I'm all over town. So where did she die?"  
  
Sara raised an eyebrow at that. "Why she?" Cianna suddenly appeared at Sara's side. "Something wrong, Ci?"  
  
"Um............" the girl replied.  
  
"Cat got you're tongue, Miss," Conchobar said.   
  
Cianna glared at him. "Isn't it time for you to start another set?"  
  
Sara stared at Cianna. She'd never known her to be rude to anyone. Conchobar seemed to be taken a bit aback. "Cianna, that isn't like you."  
  
"I need to talk to you," Cianna grabbed Sara's wrist and dragged her off the barstool. When they got outside Cianna let her go. "All right! You want to know why I got upset when I saw that symbol the first time, I'll tell you. Actually better then that, I'll show you."  
  
  
Cianna followed Ian and Sara into Irons' office. She wasn't surprised that Irons was sit at his office at this late hour. She thought back to Gabriel in the car. It had taken a lot of convincing to get him to stay there. She knew things would be said here that it was best he not know. Ian's hand on her arm brought Cianna out of her thoughts. Irons stood and led Sara over to the book. Cianna followed Ian to the side, glancing at his blank face.  
  
"Cathain was an ancient war goddess," Irons said once Sara had read most of the tale. "But her legends must have some basis in fact considering she wore the lann an caillagh. The blade of the witch."  
  
"The sacrifice was to her," Sara said.  
  
Cianna started to say something but Ian touched her arm again. She sighed and kept her mouth shut.  
  
Irons nodded to Sara, "It is said that if Cathain can be resurrected, she'll reunite the scattered Celtic tribes and lead then to their rightful glory. If a worthy offering is made."  
  
This time Cianna did not remain silent. "Cathain will not rise." She almost added a remark about Conchobar's symbol but decided against it.  
  
Irons turned as he noticing her for the first time. "How old were you when the first Druid tried to rise her for the King?"  
  
"Ten."  
  
"And what happened?"  
  
"She stopped him from slaughtering innocents in the name of an unworthy king," Cianna replied.  
  
Irons turned back to Sara. "A less devout Druid might summon you ... excuse me ... summon Cathain with darker purpose. Say to steal the lann." Irons reached over and closed the book. "Cathain is a tragic figure, so be careful, Sara." He looked over at Cianna. "You know what they say about history."  
  
  
The second body was found the next morning.   
  
"Her name's Debra Mason," Jake said. "Found her purse in the gutter outside. C.A. suspects the autopsy will show drugs or alcohol in her system before she was killed."  
  
"Yeah," Sara said. "Let's hope so. So much for our non-case. This girl was alive and well last night. I saw her at the show."  
  
"Conchobar. Let's go get this guy."  
  
"I'll go," Sara replied. "You go to the morgue."  
  
"Aren't we supposed to be working together?" Jake said.  
  
"Somebody sold the first body to whoever killed this one. If we find one, we find the other."  
  
"OK, maybe. But still ..."  
  
"Talk to Vicky Po in forensics. She digs you," Sara smiled at her partner.  
  
"She does?"  
  
"Yeah. She'll tell you who the smart money likes for the body theft.  
  
"While you go after Conchobar."  
  
"Gee, rookie. Trying to protect me?"  
  
  
Two hours later Sara led Conchobar into the station.  
  
"A man could have dreams about being arrested by you. The handcuffs, assume the position."  
  
"Look," Sara turned towards him. "Do you flirt with every cop that arrests you?"   
  
"Aye. Do you flirt with every suspect?"  
  
"I'm not flirting."  
  
"True enough," Conchobar smiled as Sara led him towards her office. "It isn't really flirting if you intend following though, right? In that case, I'm not flirting either.  
  
"Pezzini, meet your necro," Jake said. A man sat handcuffed to a chair next to him.  
  
"Is this your buyer, Mr. Vaughn?" Sara asked nodding at Conchobar.  
  
"Um," he man looked at Jake. "What do you want me to say?"  
  
Sara glared at Jake.  
  
"We want you to tell the truth," Jake replied.  
  
"Truth?" the man said. "Truth is it was dark. Guy wore a sweatshirt with a hood. I never saw his face, only his cash."  
  
"Describe body type. Height, weight," Sara said.  
  
"Coulda been him," the man replied. "But it coulda been someone else. The business we was doin', you don't wanna look too close."  
  
"All right," Sara shock her head. "You give my partner a detailed description. Then you do not leave town. When you help us nail this bastard, we'll consider what we're gonna do to you. Jake, get him out of here."  
  
Jake let the guy go and led him out of the office.  
  
"What about me, Sara?" Conchobar asked. "Am I free to go?"  
  
"For now."  
  
He walked towards the exit. Thirty seconds later Sara followed him out.  
  
  
Cianna paced back and forth in her apartment. This wasn't looking good at all. She'd seen the way Sara had looked at him, and she wasn't pleased. Ok, so maybe it wasn't her place to tell Sara who to and not to fall in love with. But she was simply looking out for her.  
  
"Sit down!" Gabriel grabbed Cianna's wrist and pulled her onto the couch. "You're making me nervous."  
  
"Sorry," Cianna sighed. "I'm just worried. That's all."  
  
"I don't understand why. But let me guess, it's another thing that you can't tell me."  
  
"Gabe you know I don't like that there are certain things I can't tell you. But it's..."  
  
"For my own good!" Gabe said. "I've heard this before."  
  
"I know," Cianna put an arm around him. "One day I'll sit you down and tell you everything, but right now I'm tired."  
  
  
"Mornin'," Sara said as she strode into the office. Where are we?"  
  
"I've been here all night questioning that low-life Vaughn ... running down records ... doing scut-work. How was your evening?"  
  
"Short," she sat in her chair. "I lost him."  
  
"You lost him?" Jake looked up for the first time. "A senior homicide cop can't track a rank civilian?"  
  
"So the senior homicide detective went and waited outside his apartment. Where he showed up a short time after, turned out the lights and went to bed ... alone."  
  
"Smartest thing a guilty man can do."  
  
"Ooh ," Sara replied. "Tell me an all-nighter got you something more than that."  
  
"OK. Two bodies. Two different warehouses. Owned by the same company. That entire stretch of riverfront."  
  
"Interesting."  
  
"Both sites guarded by the same security company, maybe even the same guard. Who kind of fits the description."  
  
"Rock and roll," Sara jumped out of her seat. "Let's go talk to him."  
  
"He's disappeared," Jake said. "But I've arranged a meeting with a woman that runs a shelter near there."  
  
  
"When was the last time you saw Brian Reilly?" Jake asked Iona McCleary.  
  
"He stopped by yesterday before he quit to say good bye."  
  
"Quit?"  
  
"He was afraid they'd fire him after those killings," Iona replied. "Said quitting would look better on his record."  
  
"Well, his office doesn't know he quit," Jake said. "In fact, they're holding a paycheck."  
  
"Brian Reilly's a good guy," Iona replied throwing another garbage bag in a bin. "He's brought men in when they're too drunk to stand and helped me out when they got too rough, but careful never to hurt them. See, Brian just hasn't found the Savior yet. But he acts more of a Christian than a lot I know."  
  
"Do you happen to know his religious affiliation?"  
  
"Wounded Irish Catholic," she said. "I see 'em all the time. They try all sorts of strange paths before they find their way back to the way."  
  
"What kinds of strange paths?"  
  
"I told you, Officer, he's a good guy. Working down here, you develop a nose for predators, and I'm tellin' ya, he's not one."  
  
  
Cianna led Sara back through a crowd at the bar to where Conchobar was sitting in a corner booth. A security guard stopped them, but a word from the singer and they were allowed to pass.   
  
"Now I recognize you," Conchobar said to Cianna. "You're Cianna Templar, your father gave money to the Irish Republican Army. You're the only thing keeping the government from getting his money."  
  
"Yeah," Cianna said ignoring the shocked expression on Sara's face. "Have you finished you're song about Cathain, Mr. Dougherty?"  
  
"Oh, informed brat, aren't ya?"  
  
"I try to be."  
  
"Yes," Conchobar replied.  
  
"What's the last verse?" Cianna said. "I'm sure you know about the murder scenes with your symbol."  
  
"Excuse me," Sara said. "But who's actually investigating this murder?"  
  
"Just sing the song."  
  
"Alright," Conchobar said standing.  
  
Cianna sat down where he had been.  
  
"Cianna!" Sara said. "What was that? And why didn't you tell me about your father?"  
  
"You never asked."  
  
Conchobar took the stage and began to sing.  
  
Bid goddess rise from mists of memory  
Rise, the fair Cathain  
In battle the equal of every man  
And every love disdained  
Her heart was locked in a round tower's keep  
And none that gate could unbar  
Till rose a prince in Ulster's east  
His name was Conchobar  
By day she taught him feats of arms  
With sword and mace and bow  
By night they kindled passion's fire  
That only lovers know  
  
So king and warrior thus were joined  
In battles, blood and love  
The throne belonged to Conchobar  
To Cathain, the Witch's Glove  
Dark rivals rose against the king  
To challenge for his throne  
All Ulster in the balance hung  
Without it's champion  
A druid he sent to sacrifice  
An offering to Cathain  
A maiden fair, with flaxen hair  
Not once, but two times slain  
  
But Cathain, she would ne'er return  
Till the Druid did a virgin bring   
To Connemara far  
The fair Iona pure and sweet  
On the self-same table lain  
And by the corclach's hungry stone  
The innocent was slain  
  
"Iona!" Sara said and bolted from her seat to the door.  
  
Cianna stood and followed her, but when she reached the sidewalk Sara and her bike was gone. A car pulled up in front of Cianna. Ian. She opened the door and got inside.  
  
  
Sara pulled her bike to a stop outside the first crime scene. She quickly went under the police tap and through the door. She heard voices from the other end of the warehouse.  
  
"Bid goddess rise from mists of memory," a robed man said. Rise, the fair Cathain. To raise a newfound Irish king to wear the Witch's Glove. The fair Iona, pure and sweet, upon the table lain. And by the corclach's hungry stone, the innocent was slain." He rose the blade over his head.  
  
"Stop!" Sara called.   
  
He turned and looked at her, his hood fell back. "Who are you?"   
  
"I am who you think I am," Sara said walking towards him.  
  
"Liar!"  
  
"You summoned me," Sara replied.  
  
"Not yet," he looked up at the blade raised over her head. "The ritual's incomplete."  
  
"I heard your call."   
  
There was a noise behind Sara. She turned expecting Jake, but instead she found Cianna. The girl walked with her head bowed.   
  
The man lowered the blade. "Who are you?"  
  
"A friend of Cathian," Cianna replied.  
  
"You want me to train you to fight as I once trained the king," Sara said.  
  
"Till Ulster's sons with sacrifice bid her return once more," he said.  
  
"Here I am," Sara said. "Let Iona live."  
  
"Liar!" he raised the blade again.  
  
"No," Cianna said.  
  
"Impostor!"  
  
"She is Cathain," Cianna replied.  
  
"Spare Iona," Sara said. "This I command."  
  
The man stepped towards Sara and handed her the blade. Suddenly a gun shot fill the room. The man fell as Cianna leapt at Sara. Together they quickly untied Iona. When Sara helped pull the woman off the table she saw Ian on the balcony above. Something in the way he looked at her cut right to her soul. Sara went towards the door. Jake stepped into the doorway.  
  
"You?" Sara said.  
  
"No," Jake said. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Yeah," Sara said. "They are in there, one dead, two alive."  
  
"Two?"  
  
"Cianna came after me."  
  
"You're going to have to do something about that girl," Jake said. "She's into everything."  
  
"I know," Sara said looked at Cianna. "I know."  
  
  
  
Next Week: The Watchers rear their nasty heads again, but this time they send one of their own to kill Cianna. Can Sara figure out who the stalker is before its to late? 


	5. Attacked

Episode 5: Attacked  
  
  
The plane landed late, just as the men had expected it to. They gathered their bag from the overhead bin and then exited the aircraft. The stream of people heading off the plane had stalled when it reached the terminal. The group quickly shoved their way through, ignoring the nasty looks from the people around them. The men were in a hurry. They had a deadline to meet.   
  
  
"Well," Cianna said as Sara checked the turkey in the oven.   
  
"This is a lost cause," Sara replied poking the overdone turkey.   
  
Gabe laughed from his seat at the kitchen table. Both women turned to glare at him. "What? This nice kitchen and you still can't manage to cook a turkey."  
  
Sara laughed as Cianna tossed an apple at him. Gabe caught it and took a bite out of it. Sara reached down and pulled the turkey out of the oven. Cianna had surprised her with the pie she had been making when Sara arrived at the girl's apartment that morning. Unfortunately they hadn't been able to pull the turkey off.   
  
The doorbell rang and Gabe jumped up to go answer it. Sara knew it had to be John. She'd been a little surprised when Cianna told her to invite him. She knew the girl wasn't fond of the idea of Sara dating him, but she had said she'd try to be nice to him. Gabe returned to the kitchen, John right behind him, a bottle of wine in his hand.   
  
"Nice place," John said sitting in one of the kitchen chairs.  
  
"Thanks," Cianna replied. She then turned to Sara. "Well, any suggestions?"  
  
"Um, take-out," Sara responded.  
  
Cianna raised an eyebrow at that. "Um, lets not"  
  
"You could always just skip the turkey and fix everything else," Gabe said.  
  
  
Cianna stood over the stove the next morning fixing some eggs. A clang on the fire escape caused her to jump slightly. The only noise Ian ever made was to tap on the glass when he wanted her to let him in. Speaking of Ian, she hadn't seen him in a couple of days. She turned slightly towards the fire escape turning off the burner. No one was there. She shook her head. It was probably just some alley cat.   
  
The crash of breaking glass proved that someone had been on the fire escape. Cianna turned quickly to find a dark figure moving towards her. Defiantly wasn't Ian. Cianna grabbed a lamp and threw it at the form. There was a slight moan when it hit its target. He leapt at her, knocking her to the ground. Cianna gasped as the air was knocked out of her lungs.   
  
"Hello, Witch," the figure hissed punching her in the mouth.  
  
"Marco DeLyn," Cianna felt blood run down the side of her face. "What a pleasure it isn't to see you again."  
  
"You have stood in our way for far to long," DeLyn said.   
  
He pulled a knife out and held it up to stab her with it. Cianna closed her eyes, trying to concentrate on a way out of this one. Thankfully blow never came. Cianna felt DeLyn get pulled off her. Finally, she could breath again. She opened her eyes. DeLyn had escaped back through the window. Ian was standing over her.  
  
"Are you hurt?" Ian said helping her up.  
  
"Only my pride," Cianna replied.   
  
"Who was that?"  
  
"Watcher Marco DeLyn," she said. "Well trained and very angry."  
  
  
"What?" Sara said into her cell phone.  
  
"Cianna was attacked by a Watcher," Nottingham repeated.  
  
Sara stared at the phone momentarily. "I thought that she said they probably wouldn't come after us so soon."  
  
"Obviously she was mistaken," Nottingham said. "She believes that there are at least five possibly more."  
  
"Where is she?"   
  
"In the bathroom, she got punched in the mouth. I'm going to go over to your apartment and make sure they haven't got it under surveillance."  
  
"You don't have to do that," Sara replied.  
  
"Yes I do," Nottingham said. "Well, Gabriel is here now, I shall contact you later."  
  
With that the phone went dead. Jake sauntered into the office and plopped half the stack of files he was carrying on her desk.  
  
"Would you stop that," Sara said.   
  
"Don't blame me," Jake replied sitting down. "I got handed the stack on my way back from the bathroom."  
  
Sara's phone rang. "Pezzini."  
  
"Hey Pez, its Johnson. Your Red Cloth Murderer struck again." He continued to ramble off an address.  
  
"Come on, Jake," Sara said hanging up the phone.  
  
  
"The Watchers," Irons said turning his chair around. "Actually members of the group?"  
  
"Yes," Ian said looking up slightly. "Cianna said that over the past few years they have begun training their own for combat. She now believes they sent the last members of the Black Dragon to buy themselves time and to remind her they were still here."  
  
"I'm very interested in seeing what she and Sara can do our their own," Irons replied. "You will not interfere. Unless of course, it appears they will lose the blade, in which case you will return the blade to me. Leave me."  
  
Ian nodded and turned to leave.  
  
  
Sara looked down at the body on the floor of the apartment bathroom. The woman lay nude on her stomach. Her throat had been slit, her attacker had most likely come at her from the behind. The piece of red cloth similar to the one found at the earlier murder scenes had been found in the sink.   
  
Jake stepped in the bathroom. "Doorman says that she came in around 7 alone."  
  
"Well, we're no closer now then we were to having any clues to a killer. So did you ask who she worked for?"  
  
"She a maid at the mansion of Kenneth Irons."  
  
"Go figure," Sara replied. She really didn't want to talk to him. "Ok, lets go talk to him, again."  
  
"Sara, I really don't think it'll get us anywhere," Jake replied.   
  
"You're probably right," she replied with a sigh. "Come let's get back to the station."   
  
  
Cianna picked the lamp up off the floor. "You know, I wouldn't stand by that window if I were you."  
  
Gabe turned towards her. "That serious."  
  
"Possibly," Cianna said. "Like I was telling you, I have some very powerful enemies. The same enemies Sara picked up when she got the Witchblade."  
  
"You're really going to have to explain this to me one day," Gabe replied walking to her. "But not now, right?"  
  
"Especially now," Cianna said. "You shouldn't even be here. If you're seen you'll be in danger too."  
  
Gabe put his arms around her waist. "I'm not afraid."  
  
"Well, get afraid, because they will kill you without a second thought."  
  
Gabe suddenly shoved her to the ground. A second later the room was strafed with bullets.  
  
Cianna sighed. "Quietly didn't work, so they try something noisier."  
  
"We have to get out of here," Gabe said.  
  
"Good luck."  
  
  
Sara and Jake were heading back to the station when suddenly he stopped the car.  
  
"What?" Sara said.  
  
"Listen," Jake replied.   
  
Sara raised an eyebrow, but then she heard what he obviously had. "Automatic weapons fire?"  
  
"Yep," Jake turned the car around and flipped on the siren.   
  
When they arrived at the scene the gun had stopped. The windows of Cianna's apartment had been shot up. Jake stayed outside to keep the crowd that had formed at bay. Sara raced up the stairs. Both Gabe and Cianna meet her at the door of the apartment.  
  
"We're fine," Cianna said holding up a hand. "However, I'm not going to get my deposit back." She laughed.  
  
Sara stared at her for a moment. "We need to get you out of here."  
  
"That's what I'm saying," Gabe replied.   
  
  
Cianna walked in a circle around the NYPD safe house. "You know, I don't keep well."  
  
"Didn't expect you to," Jake said. "You remind me to much of Sara."  
  
"Thank you," Cianna replied with a smile.   
  
Sara walked into the room followed by Gabriel. "Well, this should be ok for the time being, at least until we can find these people."  
  
"Sara, I know exactly who they are, but I can't help you locate them in here," Cianna sighed. "I think I can stay one step ahead of them long enough for them to slip up."  
  
"Nope, not happening," Sara replied. "You are to valuable for that."  
  
"Um," Cianna turned to the two men. "Could you give us a minute alone?"  
  
"Sure," Jake said. He led Gabe back out of the room.  
  
"You know things about this," Sara said in a low voice pointing to her wrist.   
  
"Yes, but the point is I can't help you stop them in here," Cianna replied. "All I can do in here is sit and wait to hear that they got you."  
  
"You can try to identify them."  
  
"They won't be in any of your books, Sara."  
  
"I don't know any other way to keep you safe."  
  
"I've beaten them before, I'll do it again," Cianna insisted.  
  
"Well, I'm not willing to risk it," Sara said.  
  
"I am. And it's my life."  
  
Sara sighed. "Alright. But I don't like this."  
  
"Well, I don't like this," Cianna said.   
  
  
Ian watched Sara led the group out of the safe house. He hated that Irons had ordered him not to get involved. He could help protect both of them. But he would do as his master ordered. No matter how much he hated it.  
  
  
"She's disappeared," DeLyn said into his cell phone.  
  
"You will find her," came the reply. "It is time for her cycle to end."  
  
"The Wielder is helping her," DeLyn said.   
  
"You will get Digitabulum and destroy all who know of it."  
  
  
Cianna moved through the highly populated streets of New York laughing at herself slightly. It hadn't been hard to get away from both Gabe and Sara. They each now thought that she was with the other one. She didn't like deceiving them, but there are some things a person has to do on their own. Cianna needed something and while she wasn't fond of the person who had it, she would have to go to him. This however meant that she would be in his debt, something she wasn't looking forward to.   
  
She turned a corner and the Vorschlag Industries building loomed above her. Well, she thought, better sooner then later.  
  
  
"Just tell Mr. Irons that Cianna Templar needs to speak to him."  
  
Ian stepped into the lobby to find Cianna arguing with the receptionist.  
  
"I'm sorry," the woman replied. "But he is extremely busy at the moment."  
  
"It is alright," Ian said. "If Mr. Irons can not see her, I will."  
  
Cianna stalked towards him. He led her into the small side office where Ian stayed when Irons was at the office. As soon as he closed the door she started talking. Of course, she was mumbling at a rather high rate of speed, and he couldn't quite make out what she was saying.  
  
"Cianna, slow down," Ian said directing her to the room's single chair.   
  
"I have to ask Irons a favor."  
  
Well, that was unexpected. "And that would be?"  
  
"Well, he kinda has something that I need. Actually I'm not entirely sure how he got it, I mean I don't see the Church losing it, but I guess I don't really need to know. I simply..."  
  
"You're not making any sense."  
  
"I need Joan's sword."  
  
"Joan used the Blade."  
  
"I know that, but she also had a sword, remember. I need it because DeLyn isn't your typical tough guy, he's kinda well, possessed."  
  
"And the Church still keeps him around?"  
  
"The Church doesn't know. I didn't know until I had a dream about it. Sara won't be able to use the Blade on him. Therefore she will need the sword. I know this doesn't make any sense, but Lazar has told me about this sort of thing before. None human evils that want the Blade can only be vanquished by a former Wielder's weapon."  
  
"What about a weapon for yourself?"  
  
"Oh, I have one for myself, Sara just won't be very good at using it."  
  
"What do you have?"  
  
"Cathain's bow."  
  
"How do you even know Mr. Irons has Joan's sword? I've never seen it."  
  
"Trust me, he does, now can I see him or not?"  
  
  
"Why are we going to Irons'?" Sara asked later that evening as Cianna drove them.   
  
"I told you, you'll find out when we get there," Cianna replied.  
  
"I don't like this."  
  
"Sara it's important. I already told you about DeLyn."  
  
"Right, which by the way, I'm still really confused about. Why can't I use the Blade on him?"  
  
"Um, I don't totally understand that either, and well, when I asked Lazar after seeing Irons this afternoon, he wasn't very helpful, he never is."  
  
"Why don't I ever get to talk to this Lazar guy?"  
  
"Well," Cianna said pulling the car through the gates of the mansion. "We're here."  
  
"I still don't know why."  
  
Minutes later they were being led through a hall lined with paintings. Every painting had Sara's face. She decided that these must be past Wielders.  
  
Irons turned when they reached a door. "You do realize that you owe me, and I want the item back when you're finished with it."  
  
"Of course," Cianna said. "That is what I was expecting. Now could you hurry this up, I'm sure they are close."  
  
"That is why Ian is outside, to keep an eye on these friends of yours."  
  
"They're hardly friends," Cianna mumbled.  
  
Irons glared at her for a moment, then turned and opened the doors. Sara felt like she was walking into a museum when she followed them in. Irons led them to a wall. He touched it and drawer slide out. Inside lay sword the blade wrapped in black cloth. Cianna reached inside and pulled it out. She smiled as removed the cloth.   
  
"So," Sara said. "What exactly is this?"  
  
"The sword of Joan of Arc," Irons said. "Purchased from a dealer in Italy. I believe a thief removed it from the Vatican's vault."  
  
"And what are we going to do with it?" Sara replied.  
  
"You're going to use it on DeLyn," Cianna said holding the sword out for Sara to take.   
  
"What about this?" Sara raised her right wrist as she took the sword with her left hand.  
  
"You can't use that on him," Cianna replied. "Talk to Lazar."  
  
Ian suddenly burst into the room. "They're here."  
  
  
"Come on," Cianna grabbed Sara's wrist. As she dragged the woman past Ian she said to him, "My bow is in the car, could you get it for me?"  
  
Ian took off ahead of them. Cianna led Sara towards the door. DeLyn and a group of men were going across the grounds. Cianna glanced at Ian who was pulling her bow and arrows out of the car. Coming to her side, she looked up to find DeLyn dismembering a member of his own group.  
  
"He's not working for the Watchers anymore is he?" Sara said.  
  
"Guess not," Cianna took the bow from Ian and grabbed an arrow. Mounting the arrow on the bow, she pulled back and launched the arrow into DeLyn, who was in the process of decapitating a second guy. He roared in pain as he turned to face them. Ian stepped in front of Sara and Cianna. "Not this time big guy."   
  
Cianna pulled Sara around him motioning for him to go back towards the house. Glancing over her shoulder to insure that he was indeed obeying she saw that Irons was now standing on the front porch. Watch this, bastard, Cianna thought as she smiled to herself.  
  
"What is that look for?" Sara asked.  
  
"Nothing," Cianna said as she watched DeLyn rip the arrow from his shoulder.  
  
"Uh huh, sure," Sara replied looking at the sword in her hand.   
  
"Don't you trust me?"   
  
"I'm beginning to wonder."  
  
"Gee thanks."  
  
  
Ian watched DeLyn close in on Sara and Cianna. Cianna fired another arrow at him, however DeLyn caught it in midair. Sara raised Joan's sword over her head and swung it at the 'monster'. DeLyn ducked then grabbed Cianna about the throat. The girl managed to grab another arrow and stab him in the eye. Roaring in pain he through her across the lawn.   
  
"This seems to be going well," Irons commented sarcastically.  
  
Ian's clenched his jaw. He didn't look at his master for fear he might see the anger the comment had raised in him.   
  
  
Sara spent a moment too long trying to figure out if Cianna was alright. DeLyn knocked her to the ground, Joan's sword flying from her grasp. He caught it in mid air and moved to bring it down on top of her. Sara raised the Witchblade, which had remained remarkable quiet during the fight, in front of her. The sound of metal on metal echoed across the lawn.   
  
The sword of the Witchblade extended from the gauntlet. Sara used it to parry another blow. Blood streamed down DeLyn's face from his punctured eye. However, that hardly seemed to be stopping him. He struck at her again. She barely managed to block the blow. Something told Sara this was going to be a very long evening.  
  
  
Cianna picked herself up off the ground. She rubbed her throat as she watched Sara fight DeLyn. This was not going well at all. He was stronger then she had anticipated. He most certainly had the edge over Sara, even if he only had one good eye. Then the tables suddenly seem to turn, Sara was on the offensive. She was driving DeLyn towards the house. Come on, Cianna thought. Get the sword away from him and finish it. The surge from Sara was short lived. DeLyn regained the advantage as quickly as he had lost it.   
  
Sara screamed abruptly. Cianna feared that DeLyn had connected a blow, but before she knew what was happening. Joan's sword as in Sara's hands plugging into DeLyn chest.   
  
"Be gone," Sara said.  
  
DeLyn's body dissolved around the sword. Cianna raised an eyebrow. Well, that's disgusting, she thought. Sara moved towards her slowly holding the sword out to her. Cianna took it, wiping the blade clean on her pant leg.   
  
"Have fun?" Cianna thought.  
  
"Remind me to insist that you tell what's going on before I get in the car next time," Sara said.  
  
"I really don't think that you will have to worry about a next time."  
  
Clapping come down from the porch. Cianna turned and really wanted to wipe the smug look from Irons' face.  
  
"Well done, ladies," Irons said. "The sword please."   
  
Cianna tossed Joan's sword towards him. Ian caught the sword easily and handed it to Irons. Irons smiled thinly, then turned and started towards the door. He stopped and over his shoulder said. "Ian, clean up this mess."  
  
Ian came down the steps. "I am glad you are both alright."  
  
"Yeah," Sara said. "No thanks to you."  
  
"I was not able to interfere," Ian replied.  
  
"Sure you weren't," Sara stepped past him towards the car, missing the hurt expression her remark caused.  
  
Cianna however saw it plainly. "I know that if you had been allowed you would have helped us." She put a hand on his arm. "She'll understand one day."  
  
Ian didn't comment. He continued on his way across the lawn. Cianna sighed and joined Sara in the car. 


	6. Death

Episode 6: Death  
  
Cianna slammed the door to her car then glanced up at the apartment building across the street. Sara bounced out the front door of the building. Cianna smiled as she crossed the street.   
  
"What are you doing up so early?" Sara asked.  
  
"Well," Cianna shrugged. "Gabe is busy and I thought that maybe John would like to join me for breakfast."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah, I decided that I might as well get to know the man. That is if you're going to keep him around."  
  
"For a while anyway."  
  
A horn honked behind Cianna. She turned to see Jake stop his car in front of her.  
  
"Hey, Cianna," Jake said through the rolled down window. "You ready, Sara?"  
  
"Yep," Sara walked around the car to the passenger door. "I'll see you later, Ci, and thank you."  
  
"No problem," Cianna waved as Sara got in the car and the partners drove off.  
  
She turned and went into the building holding the door for an exiting elderly woman. She then headed to the door of Sara's apartment, knocking on it. Someone came stomping down the stairs. John, shirtless, swung the door open.  
  
"Hello, Cianna," John said. "What can I do for you?"  
  
"Thought you might want to get some breakfast with me, unless you have other plans."  
  
"No other plans," John replied stepping out of the doorway. "Let me get a shirt."  
  
Cianna followed him up the stairs. He went off towards the bathroom while she head to the fridge. She was reaching for the handle when the sound of a door being busted open caused her to turn. A man in a black hood came rushing up the stairs. Cianna sat on the counter top and kicked the man in the stomach. She then dashed towards the couch trying to get away from the attacker that jumped at her. Someone grabbed her shoulder, punching her in the face after spinning her around.  
  
John came out of the bathroom. Another attacker jumped him, knocking him onto the bed. Cianna was dragged to the floor, a hood pulled over her head. Another blow connected with her head, sending her in the void of unconsciousness.  
  
  
Sara and Jake walked up a set of stairs away from a hotdog vender. She chewed merrily on her breakfast, happy her life was going right for a change.  
  
"Someone's had a good night," Jake said.  
  
"What makes you say that?" Sara replied.  
  
"You just bought me breakfast."  
  
"This isn't just breakfast," Sara said shaking her head. "I'll make a New Yorker out of you yet." Movement across the street caught Sara's attention. "Hey, isn't that Orlinski, the new guy that transferred from special investigation when Dante took over homicide?"  
  
"Yeah," Jake said. "What is he doing with hookers?"  
  
A man got out of a van that was parked across the street. It was a well known pimp. He walked over to Orlinski's car and pulled out an envelope, handing it through the open window. One of the girls walked around and got in the car. Orlinski drove off.  
  
"He took a payoff," Sara said.  
  
"Maybe it's a sting."  
  
"Orlinski is a gold shield," Sara said. "He doesn't work vice. It's defiantly a pay off." Sara pulled some money out of her pocket. She handed a five to Jake. "Run to the convenient store down the street. Get a roll of film, any brand."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Go rookie."  
  
Later that morning Sara sat in her office sipping on coffee. There was a light knock on the door. She looked up to see Sarge walk into her office.   
  
"Hey, top o', Sarge," Sara said. "You're off at 8:00. Where's your relief?"  
  
Sarge shrugged, "Probably stuck in traffic".  
  
"It's that new guy, right? Uh, Linsky?"  
  
"Orlinski, right," Sarge replied. "Pezzini, there's an apartment break-in I think you should know about."  
  
Sara looked down at her paper work. "Anybody die?"  
  
"Not that I know about."  
  
"Then it's not my problem."  
  
"It's your apartment."  
  
Sara picked through the wreckage of her apartment. Her things lay all over the place. The table had been knocked over. However nothing seemed to be missing. Then she turned and looked into the mirror. That's when the vision started.  
  
Cianna walking towards the fridge. She reached for the handle when she turned suddenly. She leapt up onto the counter, kicking a hooded figure in the stomach. She raced towards the couch, but was jumped on by someone. She lay unconscious on the floor, John falling next to her soon after. Someone pulled hoods over their heads.  
  
  
Cianna, a hood still over her face, was sitting on something hard and cold, her hands handcuffed behind her back. Someone, presumably John was sitting next to her. He started singing. Cianna laughed joining him in an off key rendition of an Irish folksong.  
  
"Shut up," a woman said.  
  
"I'm a musician," John replied. "You want quiet, kidnap a mime."  
  
"I ought to..."  
  
"Fee," a man said. "But damage the goods."  
  
"You guys are going to be so disappointed when you try to sell and nobody buys. You've got the wrong guy."  
  
"Really?" the man said. "You're real name, Mr. Conchobar, is John Patrick Doughty. Born 6-25-73, County Down, Republic of Northern Ireland. Fourth of 4 brothers born to Molly and Seamus Dougherty. Your oldest brother was killed in a motorcycle accident. Your second brother joined the priesthood. But it's the third brother that interests us. Edward. International warrant number 92651. Irish Republican Army. Wanted on charges of terrorism, murder, destruction of property, kidnapping, extortion. Your brother is known to have instigated a concerted attack in Belfast in June of '96. Twenty car bombs detonated in a single day."   
  
"That was never proven," John said.   
  
"Oh, we have the evidence. But we could never hold a trial because your brother is a master of the fugitive arts."  
  
"But what about her?"  
  
"Well, she was a rather lucky bonus," the man replied as someone ripped the cover off Cianna's head. "Cianna Templar, daughter of Richard Templar, billionaire financier of the IRA."  
  
"Well, no one is going to want to pay for me," Cianna said. "He was never very good at making friends."  
  
"Maybe, maybe not," the woman said.  
  
  
Sara stood in Dante's office that afternoon. "I'm tellin' ya, Captain, they were kidnapped."  
  
"That's my point exactly," Dante replied.  
  
"What?"  
  
"This is homicide. If he ain't dead, we don't come. Besides, this guy's your boyfriend, and the girl is a close friend. You're the last person I'd put on the case."  
  
"Fine," Sara said. "Then ... then give it to Helstrom or Lubin."  
  
"I can't commit resources without a dead body," Dante said. "And we're not kidnapping. That's federal."  
  
"Then treat it as a missing persons."  
  
"This guy is a mick rock and roller. The big surprise would be if he didn't get into fights and turn up missing now and then. I'm sure the girl was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time."  
  
"You're not going to help me, are ya?" Sara sighed.  
  
Dante smirked at her. "I always said you were a quick study."  
  
Sara stormed out of the office. She practically ran into Orlinski in the hall. Shrugging past him she went into her office trying to calm down.  
  
Jake came into the office "I'll help you. How 'bout I start by checking your case files. See if anyone you've sent up has been released recently."  
  
"Yeah, go for it."  
  
"What're you gonna do?" Jake asked. Sara simply gave him a non of you business look. "OK, fine. Keep in touch."  
  
  
Ian stood on the fire escape of the apartment above Cianna's. That was where the landlord had moved her during the repairs to her apartment. He wasn't surprised to see that she wasn't there. He was however surprised to Gabriel wondering around the apartment. Ian quietly opened the window and climbed into the apartment.   
  
Gabriel turned. "What the hell are you doing here?"  
  
"I came to see Cianna," Ian replied walking towards the younger man.  
  
"She's been kidnapped."  
  
"Again?" Ian replied. "I'm sure she is quite pissed about that."  
  
Gabriel seemed to stare at him confused for a moment. Ian himself was surprised at his reaction to the statement.   
  
"Conchobar has been kidnapped with her," Gabriel said. "Sara is unsure why either of them were taken."   
  
"I will inform you and Sara if I discover anything," Ian turned to leave.  
  
"You're going to look for them?"  
  
"It is the least I can do for Lady Sara, and Cianna has always been kind to me."  
  
  
"So I'm to be Edwards retribution?" John broke the silence that had filled the room for quite some time."  
  
"Not at all," the groups leader shook his head. "Sometime soon, I'll get a phone call and we'll all get aboard a Londonderry steamer. Take you back to the land of your roots. There you'll be offered to your brother in a one-for-one exchange. He shows up, you walk free."  
  
"He'll refuse."  
  
"Aye, he will," the leader said. "At first. But he'll get a couple of pints in him and turn sentimental for his little brother Johnny. And when he shows up to claim you, you'll both die."  
  
"What about the girl?"  
  
"We'll find some use for her, I'm sure," Fee said walking towards them.  
  
"This plan will never fly," John replied. "Edward never cared for me. He thought I was a mama's boy. I wouldn't bleed on the football field. I wouldn't join the IRA. I was a great disappointment to him."  
  
"So you ran away to America, huh?" Fee said standing close to John. "Thought you'd leave it all behind. Looks like you didn't run far enough, hmm?"   
  
"Well, if your plan hinges on drunken foolery, you've made a grievous miscalculation. Eddie took the pledge years ago. He doesn't touch a drop."  
  
  
Sara walked through the warehouse the Witchblade had led her to. A man stepped in her way.  
  
"Excuse me," Sara said. "I'm lost. I'm looking for the Orpheum Theater."  
  
She used the Witchblade gauntlet to backhand the man across the head. He flew down the hall. Sara continued her journey down the hall. A woman, with a gun, stepped into her path.  
  
"Spectacular move," the woman said. "Where have I seen that before?"  
  
"In your nightmares?"  
  
"Nice bracelet," the woman chuckled.  
  
"It's one of a kind," Sara held the Witchblade back as the bracelet up in front of her.   
  
"Your lad's this way, Sara Pezzini."  
  
"Nicely done, Detective," a man said moving towards her. "A bit noisy, though. We did hear you coming. Ah, that's close enough.  
  
The woman walked over to the two hooded people who were laying on a stone table. She pulled the hood off one reveling it was Cianna then she pulled the hood off John.  
  
"Hi, Baby," John said.  
  
"I want them back." Sara said.   
  
"I didn't figure you came all this way just to say hello," the man said.  
  
"If this is political, you've got the wrong guy.," Sara replied. "And Cianna won't really do you good."  
  
"Funny," the woman laughed slightly. "That's what they said."  
  
"It's true," Sara said. "You guys aren't Interpol. So, I'm guessing ... what? Sanctioned counter-terrorist? Belfast police?"  
  
"A little of both.," the man said. "Would you mind telling me how you got past Oliver out there? I know he's no Derry docksman, but he was the best local talent money could buy."  
  
"Does it bother you at all that this two are completely innocent?"  
  
"Not in the least," the man replied. "Every war has collateral damage."  
  
"And no one is completely innocent," the woman said.  
  
"If you give them up before my backup arrives," Sara replied. "I won't do the same to you. Look, I know this is about his brother Edward. But if this were a simple reprisal, you would've killed him by now."  
  
"Just like if you had backup," the woman snared. "They'd be here by now."  
  
"What do you want?" Sara begged.  
  
"They want to take me back to Belfast," John spoke up. "Offer me to Edward, then kill us both when they come to fetch me."  
  
Sara flinched as the woman raised her gun and shot John in the knee. Cianna gasped loudly.   
  
"Fiona!" the man said pointing his gun at her.  
  
"Ease up, Sean, he'll live," Fiona said. " It's not the most deadly wound a man can suffer, just the most painful."  
  
"That was unsanctioned," Sean reprimanded.  
  
"Screw your bloody sanctions!," Fiona shouted. "The day your brother blew up all those cars, my fiancée was in one of 'em.. So you see, I hate him as much as you hate me."  
  
"What will it take to set them free? What is them worth? A million? A million-five? Won't that help your cause more than one dead bomber?" Sara said.  
  
"Two ... million," Sean said.   
  
"Sean!" Fee replied.  
  
"I'm a cop," Sara said. "Where am I supposed to get two million dollars?"  
  
"The same place you'd get the million-five," Sean replied. "I'm sure you'll figure something out, if you love him enough."  
  
"Anything else?" Sara sighed.  
  
"Yeah," Fiona said. "I want your pretty bracelet."  
  
Sara looked over Fiona's shoulder at Cianna. She was shaking her head no. "I can't do that."  
  
"Fine," Fiona said raising her gun at John again.  
  
"No ... here." Sara took the Witchblade off and tossed it to Fiona.   
  
  
How could she? Cianna thought as Sara was escorted out of the area. For the first time she and John were relatively alone. She leaned over glancing at John's shattered kneecap. He had never screamed.  
  
"How you doing?" she asked him.  
  
"I've been better," John said through gritted teeth. "Where is she going to get two million dollars?"  
  
"If I wasn't in here," Cianna reply. "She would get it from me."  
  
"You'd do that?"   
  
"Of course," Cianna smiled at him. "She is my sister in spirit. I would do anything for her."  
  
"Who will she turn to now?" John replied.   
  
"I have an idea, and I hope he helps her."  
  
"He?"  
  
"You don't want to know."  
  
  
Ian walked into a party in Irons' mansion. Mr. Irons motioned for him to come to him. Ian crossed the room quickly, coming to stand by his master.  
  
"The Witchblade is off Sara Pezzini," Irons said. "And not on Cianna Templar."  
  
"Is it testing her? Is it the periculum?" Ian asked.  
  
"Go and see."   
  
Ian left the room.  
  
  
Later that evening, Sara stood in Irons' study looking up at him.  
  
"Two million dollars?" he asked from the balcony.  
  
"I've never asked you for anything," Sara said.  
  
"You look somehow underdressed today, Sara." Irons replied. "Aren't you missing something?"  
  
"The money means nothing to you, Mr. Irons. It's a ... it's a phone call, a stroke of a pen."  
  
"Who has the Witchblade now?"   
  
Sara sighed. "I figure you'd know."  
  
"Perhaps I do," he began moving down the stairs towards her. "You were warned that the Witchblade abandons its wielder during her darkest hour. Your need must have been very dire."  
  
"Why else would I be here?  
  
"Perhaps the blade was jealous of your ... recent involvements."  
  
"How can a hunk of metal and stone be jealous?"   
  
"Or perhaps you were merely a courier for the blade, sent to deliver it to its true bearer," Irons stood directly in front of her for a second then moved around her.  
  
"Mr. Irons, if everything goes as planned, you'll have your money back by nightfall, I promise."  
  
"And if not?"   
  
Sara could feel Irons touched her hair. She tensed as his hand slid to her shoulder and he rested his cheek on the back of her head.  
  
"I offered you the world once ... travel, refinement, education ... companionship. You refused me".  
  
"I'll accept it now, if that's what you want," Sara said as Irons moved in front of her again.  
  
"No, Sara," Irons leaned close to her, putting a hand on the side of her face. "That's not what I want. What I want ... is the pleasure of rejecting you ... as you once rejected me." He moved away and headed towards the stairs.  
  
"Mr. Irons," Sara said but he kept going up the stairs "Kenneth! People's life is a stake here! What about Cianna?"  
  
"What about her?" Irons said. "Stop wasting time and go save them."   
  
  
With Sara gone, Ian joined Irons on the balcony. Irons walked towards him and grabbed his face.  
  
"Don't come home without the blade."  
  
Irons released him, and Ian left the mansion.  
  
  
Sean found Fiona standing off by herself. "You should have told me."  
  
"Told you what?" Fiona said.  
  
"About losing your fiancée to Edward Dougherty."   
  
"And let you scratch me from the trip? Make me laugh, Sean."  
  
"Fiona," Sean replied. "If your personal feelings jeopardize this mission, I swear ..."  
  
"You lost family members, too," Fiona said. "Disqualify yourself then. Anything else, Commander?"  
  
"Yeah," Sean stepped towards her. "I got the impression that you thought I'd actually trade our prisoners to that cop for money."  
  
"Well, that's the impression you gave."  
  
"To her. But you know better. All the money in the world couldn't buy those two back."  
  
"Good," Fiona said. "So we're agreed then? And the money?"  
  
"Goes to the cause. To take down the next bleeding revolutionary."  
  
"Amen."  
  
  
"Pezzini." Orlinski said when Sara appeared next to him outside the lock up.  
  
"Listen very closely," Sara fingered the roll of film in her pocket. "I saw you yesterday."  
  
"Yeah, I saw you too. What?"  
  
"Not around here. Before work."  
  
"I was late ..." Orlinski replied.  
  
"You were at the corner of Greenwich and Horatio with a streetwalker and Two Face Cheshire," Sara said.  
  
He laughed. "You know, I heard you were full of crap, Pezzini. I guess the rumors are true."  
  
"Looked like a payoff to me. Two payoffs, actually. One in cash and one in kind."  
  
"You ever wonder why people don't want to work with you?" Orlinsky said. "You bitch."  
  
Sara held up the film. "You know what? I don't know if this should go to Internal Affairs or to your wife. Hey, Orlinsky, maybe you know where I can get those double prints for a buck deal, huh? Bitch."  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"I want the keys to this lockup. You go to the head and amuse yourself for 10 minutes. They'll be on your desk when you get back."  
  
"And that's it?"  
  
"For now."  
  
  
A short time later Sara walked into the warehouse.  
  
"So it's true what they say about American girls?" Sean said. "You just keep coming back for more?" Sara tossed the pack down in foot. Now what makes you think I don't just take the money and them"  
  
"Because none of you wants to leave here as collateral damage," Sara replied.  
  
"Ooh, I'm trembling," Fiona said.  
  
"Look, I did what you asked. OK? You let me walk out of here with him and everybody goes home in one piece."  
  
"Not just yet," Sean replied squatting down to the pack of money and opening it. He fanned through some of the money. "There's only one problem. You're a little short."  
  
"What's a few thousand when we're talking millions?" Sara asked.  
  
"Pocket change," Sean said pulling his gun. "But the problem is you're two million short. None of this is real."  
  
  
Cianna watched the face off between Sara and Sean. This wasn't looking good. The rest of the group had their weapons trained on her.   
  
"Congratulations, Sara. It was a test, and you passed."  
  
Cianna turned to see Ian appear on the level above them. She sighed. Everything would be alright now.  
  
"Here's the money," Ian said dropping the bag on the rail in front of him. "The real money." One of the group headed up the stairs towards him. "Are you going to be doing the counting? One hundred dollar bills ... one hundred to the bundle ... 200 bundles. Are you good at math?  
  
Suddenly the man's throat was bleeding. Ian pulled out two guns and started firing. Sara joined in. Sean and Fiona both dove for cover. Cianna could still see Fiona though. The Witchblade had formed on her arm. She raised it in front of her. It deflected bullets defending her.  
  
Cianna turned on the table so that her back was to Fiona. With her arm now close to the blade she attempted to call it to her. "Witchblade," she said loudly. "To me!" The Blade didn't respond. "Damn, what is it up too?"  
  
"What are you talking about?" John said.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
Ian had come down the stairs and walked over to one wall, still firing. Fiona had somehow managed to extend the sword of the Witchblade. Of course it had to be enjoying itself. That was probably the whole reason why it was helping the woman who was trying to kill the Wielder. Suddenly Sara was next to the table.   
  
"Don't, Sara," John said as Sara touched his face. "Save yourself. Get out of here."  
  
"No," Sara replied. "Not without you."  
  
Fiona was suddenly standing over Cianna. She started to bring the Witchblade down on them. Sara pulled John off the table. As the sword neared Cianna's chest time slowed. Cianna kicked out, making contact with her stomach. As the woman backed up, Cianna moved off the table to the side.   
  
Fiona swung the Blade at Sara. Sara rolled away, firing her pistol at Fiona. She leapt back again when Fiona slashed at her again. Sara fired her at Fiona, who blocked every round. With Sara clip now empty, Fiona stood over John, who was laying on the floor. Fiona lowered the tip of the Blade against his chest.  
  
Sara screamed as Fiona leaned on the Witchblade, pushing the sword into his chest. Sara pulled out another gun and pointed it at Fiona. The Witchblade choose this moment to abandon the pretender. The tip of the sword rushed to be removed from John's chest. Sara fired at the woman five times.  
  
A yell from the side pulled Cianna's attention back to Ian and Sean. Ian hit Sean on the throat cause the man to fall back against the wall. Ian moved towards Sara and the now dead John. Sara was resting her head on his chest, she seemed to have passed out.   
  
Ian retrieved the Witchblade bracelet from Fiona's wrist. He looked at Cianna momentarily. She nodded at him. He knelt beside Sara and placed the Blade on her wrist. Ian stood, looking at Cianna momentarily before leaving. Cianna looked down at Sara again. The real question was would the Witchblade accept Sara again. Cianna sighed and turned. She decided she had better call Jake.  
  
  
Jake arrived at the warehouse just only a few minutes ahead of the other police that were responding. The scene was a gruesome one, several body's lay on the floor. His breath caught in his throat when he shall Sara with Conchobar on the floor. He rushed to her side. She was alive. "Sara ... You've got to get out of here. I'm sorry, but we gotta go."  
  
Sara awoke. She begun sobbing silently.  
  
"C'mon, we gotta go!" Jake pulled her to her feet.  
  
"How did you find me?" Sara said as he helped her to walk.  
  
"Cianna called me a few moments ago," Jake replied. "Then I heard the "Shots Fired" report as I was driving in."  
  
"Why are you helping me?"  
  
  
Ian stood before Irons. He handed him the money bag he had retrieved from the warehouse. Irons took the bag and moved towards the fireplace.   
  
"The money is nothing," Irons dropped the bag in the fire. "Where is the Witchblade?"  
  
"Back on Sara Pezzini," Ian kept his head down. "Evidently, where it belongs."  
  
"You should have had it. That little Irish whore was an utter pretender."  
  
"I agree," Ian said raising his eyes to look at Irons. "So, evidently, did the Witchblade. It was back on Lady Sara's wrist by the time I got there. Even when she was unconscious it would not come off."  
  
"You should have cut off her hand," Irons said wrenching Ian's head up.  
  
"Next time I will," Ian glared at him for a moment before lowering his eyes. "What if it was on Cianna?"  
  
"You were to return it to me," Irons said moving away. "It mattered not if it was on the girl or Sara. I am beginning to question both of their abilities to control it. Go."  
  
Ian turned and left Irons alone in the study. 


	7. Test

Episode 7: Test  
  
  
Cianna stood near Ian in front of Irons' desk. Irons sat with his back to them. Cianna looked nervously from Ian to the back of Irons' chair. She had been invited to discuss Sara's condition. She had not been able to get Sara to let her into her apartment or to even speak to her. Since John's death she had shut herself up.   
  
Irons turned to face them. "How is she?"  
  
"Sara has not left her loft in 4 days," Ian replied. "She has not bathed. She has not called anyone. She has not eaten anything. Last night while she slept, I filled her kitchen with all her favorite foods. Whether she accepts the nourishment is anyone's guess."  
  
"She won't answer the door," Cianna said. "And I haven't had the heart to sneak in while she is awake."  
  
"Your appraisal?" Irons asked.  
  
"I am concerned for her." Cianna replied.  
  
"What is your analysis?" Irons said to Ian.  
  
"Deep depression, desperate grief, a broken heart," Ian raised his head. "She may try and end her life."  
  
"What is your recommendation?" Irons turned his chair back around.  
  
A stabbing pain started in Cianna's wrist then traveled quickly up her arm and intisifed in her chest.  
  
  
Ian watched Cianna double over in silent pain. He reached out to keep her from falling into the desk. Irons swirled his chair around and leaned forward.  
  
"Cianna?" Irons said in what to Ian sounded like a failed attempt to be concerned.  
  
"I'm fine," she straightened up and waved Irons away. "Its going to begin soon."  
  
"Can I get you anything?" Ian asked softly as Irons stood and moved to the window.  
  
"Yeah," she replied. "Get me out of here."  
  
"Ian, make sure Cianna gets home safely," Irons said.  
  
"Goodday Kenneth," Cianna moved toward the door.  
  
Ian followed her. She walked unsteadily, and he had to keep her from falling several times on the way to her car. She handed him the keys, then settled into the passenger seat. Ian closed her door then walked around the car to get behind the wheel.   
  
"Thanks," she said. "I wasn't looking forward to experiencing the start of the test in his office."  
  
Ian started the car and moved it into the flow of traffic. AT a stoplight he turned to speak to Cianna but she had fallen asleep. He sighed and drove towards Sara's apartment. If he was going to have to watch them both he might as well see to it that they are in the same place. It would make his life easier, and maybe distract Sara from her mourning.   
  
  
Sara lay in bed. Her phone started to ring. Finally the machine picked it up.  
  
"Sara, pick up," Jake said over the machine. "C'mon, I know you're there. Pez, it's your partner. All right. I'm not saying I can't handle things without you. I'm just saying, you know, sometimes work is the best antidote for the kind of loss you're going through. Take it out on the bad guys, you know. Pez, it all comes down to this. Conchobar's the one who died, not you.  
  
"Are you sure?" Sara said rolling away from the machine and pulling the sheet over her head as it clicked off.  
  
  
Jake was flooded with files and phone calls. Things just kept pilling up. There was a knock at the door. Dante came into the office.  
  
"It's a pretty long ride from the Bonzai Pipeline to all this, huh, surfer boy?"  
  
"Yeah," Jake said. "It's this damn Irish Massacre. I can't get caught up on the paper."  
  
"Oh," Dante replied. "It's a tough case, especially without a partner."  
  
"Ah, I got Lubin and Hellstrom working with me till Sara gets back."  
  
"How is Miss Pezzini?"  
  
"Good," Jake looked down at a file. "She'll be back soon ... maybe even today."  
  
  
Sara awoke in a cold sweat from a dream she couldn't remember. She felt something strange on her right arm. She pulled back the sheet Tendrils from the Witchblade were weaving their way up her arm. As she watched the tendrils moved over more of her body. She jumped slightly as the phone started ringing again. She tried to reach for the phone but the tendrils pulled her down hard into the bed. The machine finally picked up.  
  
"Pezzini," Gabe said. "It's Gabriel. I know you've got to be really bummed about losing Conchobar. I don't know, I just wanted to do something to make you feel better. So, I dug up some new information about that bracelet of yours. Think you want to know. Call me. Oh, and if you see Ci, tell her to call me cause I can't get a hold of her."  
  
"No, no," Sara said. "Don't hang up!"  
  
Danny appeared. He was wearing a Chinese style silk tunic and his hair is pulled back.  
  
"Nice outfit," Sara said.  
  
"You, too," her dead partner replied.  
  
Sara looked at the tendrils that now covered a large portion of her body. "This thing has gone crazy, Danny. You gotta help me."  
  
"That's why I'm here," he sat on the bed next to her.  
  
"Why is it doing this to me?"  
  
"Why do you think?" Danny replied.  
  
"I don't know," Sara sighed. "Maybe the Witchblade is punishing me for abandoning it."  
  
"You didn't abandon it."  
  
"I gave it to someone."  
  
"But you had too," Danny replied. "Maybe you shouldn't have taken it back."  
  
"I didn't," Sara said. "I woke up and it was back on my arm. Danny, I'm really scared."  
  
  
Jake was escorted into Irons' office by a short woman. Irons stood in front of a weather map of the globe. Jake pulled out his badge "Mr. Irons..."  
  
"Seven major storm systems roam the globe as we speak," Irons replied. "Seven."  
  
"Detective McCartey, NYPD Homicide."  
  
"It's a record. A fluke or a miracle. What do you think it means?"  
  
"I'm partners with Sara," Jake continued.  
  
"I know exactly who you are," Irons finally turned to look at him. Don't worry. I've already corroborated your lie."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Your captain called me. Sara Pezzini was here that day taking my deposition in the Dominique Boucher case. All day."  
  
Jake stared at him for a moment. "Why did you back up my story?"  
  
"I have the utmost respect for Sara," Irons began guiding Jake towards the door. "And if her partner needed to account reliably for her whereabouts on a given date and time, I'm sure there was a very good reason. Well, don't thank me, Detective. When I need a favor in return, I won't hesitate to ask. If you'll excuse me?"  
  
The door slid shut between Jake and Irons.  
  
  
Sara struggled against the bonds that held her. She couldn't breath.  
  
"I know this is going to sound lame, but you have to relax," Danny said. "You're not going to help by fighting against it. Easy for me to say, huh? Just think of your breath. There's no effort involved. Just make a place for it and the air will flow into you. Let your heart find its own rhythm. There's nothing to be afraid of."  
  
Sara relaxed. Taking deep breath, she felt air easily fill her lungs. Someone picked up her hand and kissed it. She looked down to see that is was Danny. "Oh, my God."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"My hand," Sara replied. "You're holding my hand."  
  
"Does that bother you?" Danny asked.  
  
"Yeah, it bothers me. I haven't been able to even touch you since you know."  
  
"Since I died," Danny said. "We can touch each other now, Sara, because you're dying, too."  
  
Ian retunred to Irons' office after putting Cianna in Sara's apartment. Sara had been talking to someone at the time, but he dared not check on her.   
  
"The periculum," Irons collapsed into a chair. "It has begun."  
  
"Then Sara's a true wielder after all," Ian replied.  
  
"I believe the trial entails some testing."  
  
"Do we want Sara to succeed or do we want Sara to fail?"  
  
"Her failure would end her life," Irons said. "And I don't want Cianna to have the Witchblade.:  
  
"In that case, to Sara's success," Ian walked closer to Irons.  
  
"Yet, throughout her initiation, she has been intractable, headstrong, stubborn. If fully empowered by the periculum, she might become impossible to manipulate."  
  
"You controlled Elizabeth Bronte."  
  
"I killed Elizabeth Bronte," Irons said. "Go to her. She needs you ... I don't. Go on. It's what you want anyway."  
Ian turned and left.  
  
  
Cianna found herself laying in a grassy meadow. She wore a black gown and with a red scarf wrapped around her shoulders and head. Before her stood three figures each with Sara's face. It was Cathian, Joan, and Elizabeth Bronte. Cianna moved quickly to her feet.  
  
"Hello, my child," Cathian said.  
  
"The Periculm." Cianna replied.  
  
"Do not worry," Elizabeth said. "She has already passed."  
  
"Then why am I here?" Cianna asked.  
  
"To see if you are ready," Joan said. "For that which is ahead."  
  
  
Jake walked up to a table where Dante was already sitting. He had been surprised when he had been invited to have a beer with the Captain.  
  
"Hey, hey, hey," Dante said. "Thanks for coming. Did you get some of that paperwork off your desk?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm making some headway," Jake sat down and picked up the beer that was on the table infront of him.  
  
"Good, good, good. Hey, I gotta hand it to ya. I really thought I had her this time."  
  
"Why do you want her so bad?"  
  
"Well, Pezzini and me, we go way back," Dante said. "I mean, actually her dad and I go way back. Didn't have the talent to do the job and rise, so he stuck his nose up everybody's ass all the time."  
  
"That's not Sara's fault," Jake relied.  
  
"Yeah, she's got the gene, though. I can smell it."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"Yeah," Dante laughed. "Yeah, whatever. He shot my partner."  
  
"What?" Jake nearly spit out the beer he'd just drunk.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Jim Pezzini got hooked on a hooker who happened to be a favorite of a guy I was riding with."  
  
"Get out."  
  
"Yeah," Dante said. "It was one of those lover's quarrels, you know? Romantic triangles. And on a vice raid, Jim Pezzini put one right between Ralph's eyes. Yeah, the Review Board whitewashed it as an accident."  
  
"OK," Jake replied. "But persecuting Sara doesn't ..."  
  
"You know what? I really admire your loyalty, McCartey. I really do. Even if it is misplaced. I'm just saying, she ain't right, that one."  
  
"I can take care of myself."  
  
"I know you can," Dante said. "So could Danny Woo."   
  
  
Sara found herself in a strange tent. She was wearing a white gown with a white scarf around her shoulders and head. An exocticly dressed woman walked into the tent.   
  
"Fear not," the woman pulled back her hood around reveled to have Sara's face.  
  
"Who are you?" Sara said.  
  
"Septima Zenobia," the woman replied smiling slightly. "Sara, you have passed this test before."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"You have been in the Periculm before, and you passed. Then you had to reverse time, but it was reversed differently for some. One in your life now was not there before."  
  
"Cianna?"  
  
"Very good," Septima sat down in a chair. "The first time you lived this life, her flight was cancelled. But the Witchblade saw fit to have her around this time. She is the key to preventing a repeat of the end you and many others meet before."  
  
A knocks at the door pulled Sara from the scene. Before she could say anything, another tendril covered her mouth, muffling her cries.  
  
"Hey, Sara. It's me, Gabriel. Open up."  
  
She struggled to respond.  
  
"Hey!" Gabe said. "You alive in there? Open the door. Well, like I said, I found out some more about the blade. Something about this gnarly test of worthiness it forces on its users. It ain't pretty, especially if you fail. If you wanna talk, or get a cup of coffee, or something, just gimme a call, OK?  
  
Sara tried to scream again. But no more sounds came from the door.  
  
  
Ian sat on the fire escape. From his vantage point he could see both Sara who was struggling at her bonds as well as Cianna who slept peacefully on the couch. Lightening flashed before him, and for a second he could see someone in the window looking at him. He turned around ready to defend the two ladies helpless inside the apartment. But noone was there.  
"So, I'm not the only one looking out for her," Ian said. "Watch them well."  
  
Ian left the fire escape.  
  
  
"Why are you here, Jake?" Dante asked sipping at his beer.  
  
"Cause you told me to meet you." Jake replied confused.  
  
"No, no, no," Dante said. "I mean why are you a cop?"  
  
"Seriously?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I'm a neat freak," Jake replied. "I want to make my little corner of this whole insane world a little more orderly."  
  
"I've heard worse reasons," Dante said.  
  
"What about you?"  
  
"Nothing else ever seemed worth doing. This is a sacred trust, a brotherhood."  
  
"I agree," Jake said.  
  
"OK," Dante replied. "If you agree that this is a brotherhood, why are you protecting Pezzini?"  
  
"Because she's one of us."  
  
"You think so?  
  
"I know so."  
  
"I had Orlinsky run an errand for me the other day," Dante said. "I cut a deal with a local pimp to turn over one of his girls. A runaway, her parents were looking for her. Pezzini saw Jerry picking up the girl before work. She took pictures and she threatened to use them, like it was some kind of payoff. And not just with I.A. , but with his wife. Is that being one of us?"  
  
"Why are you telling me all this?"  
  
"Cause you and I are the same guy. We're the ones who hold this whole mess together. Underpaid, underappreciated."  
  
"You got that right."  
  
"There are a lot of good cops in this unit. Family men. Huh? Risking their lives every day. And for what? Huh? A couple thousand dollars a year? You can't send your kid to community college on the money that we make."  
  
"You got a solution for that?"  
  
Sara found herself walked into a large bedroom. A man, asleep, lay on the bed. He rolled over and she gasped as she saw his face.  
  
"Nottingham?" Sara said.   
  
"No," a woman came into the room. "He is Anthony and he can not hear us."  
  
"Cleopatra?"   
  
"Yes, Sara," Cleopatra said.   
  
"I'm you reincarnated, that is why we have the same face."   
  
"The idea of reincarnation comes from a natural sense that there is more to this world than we can taste or touch. Unfortunately, it misses the main point," Cleopatra said  
  
"Which is?"   
  
"Time," Cleopatra replied. "You think of time as if it were a straight line, like a road, with the past at one end and the future at the other. The metaphor is seductive, but it's highly misleading. The world was flat till we discovered it was round. You must break your old paradigm of time, Sara. Both past and future are contained in the eternal present."  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Sara sighed. "I saw The Terminator. It made my head hurt."  
  
"Better example than you realize. Think of your reels of motion picture film. Each frame is a lifetime, but all of them exist at once. If you run it through the projector of human consciousness..."  
  
"You create continuity."  
  
"No, the illusion of continuity," Cleopatra said. "But if you think of the reel wound just so, some of the frames touch other frames. From one frame through another, any frame can be reached, but all of them exist at once."  
  
"So," Sara said. "Time is just a matter of perception?"  
  
"I am not from your past, Sara, nor you from my future. Both of our lifetimes exist right now."  
  
"So, I'm not your reincarnation, I'm you."  
  
"As I am you, and we are each of the other wielders. Remember this and use it."  
  
  
Ian walked back into Irons' office.   
  
"Why aren't you with them?" Irons asked from the floor.  
  
"There's nothing I can do for them."  
  
"You can protect her from others who would harm them," Irons seem to try to make himself comfortable.  
  
"She's already got a guardian angel," Ian said. "And Cianna is safe with her."  
  
"You never used to second-guess my judgments. You were the perfect scalpel. Sharp, precise, directable."  
  
"I am nothing but what you made me!" Ian shouted. "Now I have the capacity to evolve. It's only because you gave it to me."  
  
"Hollow words, Ian."  
  
  
"You ever hear of the Praetorian Guard?" Dante asked.  
  
"Roman soldiers, right?" Jake replied. "Elite fighters?"  
  
"The hand-picked bodyguards of the Caesars. But eventually they became so powerful that they could overthrow the Caesars if they felt it was right. Now, could you imagine belonging to a unit like that?"  
  
"Big responsibility."  
  
"We already shoulder that responsibility, whether you know it or not," Dante said. "What I'm suggesting is we embrace it."  
  
"Maybe I've had one too many. Could you be a little more specific?  
  
"This is a one-time-only invitation to join a group of policemen who understand the gravity of their job and who reap the harvest fairly. Just to make this insane world a little more orderly."  
  
"You mean you're vigilan..." He paused as the waitress brought them more beers.  
  
"Thanks," Dante said. He waited for the woman to leave before he continued. "No. Sara Pezzini's a vigilante. She's a solo act. These men are a team. Men of conscience. These are officers entrusted by society to protect society. And we protect each other." Dante handed Jake a bullet.  
  
".45 Magnum," Jake said. "I use a 9 mil."  
  
"Look closer." There was a bull engraved on the bullet. "It's our totem, our talisman. We call ourselves the White Bulls."  
  
"Why a bull?"  
  
"You know what the bull symbolizes?" Dante asked.  
  
"Power, masculinity, manure?" Jake laughed. "So how's it work?"  
  
"When someone is obviously guilty and the system can't be trusted to administer justice, we use one of these bullets," Dante explained. "Now, if you ever find a casing like this at a murder scene, just walk away. And if there's fruit to harvest, we take it. We watch each others' backs."  
  
"Damn."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
  
Cianna had talked to Cathain, Joan, and Elizabeth for sometime. She now remembered how things had gone for her the first time. How her flight had been cancelled and she had returned to her apartment in Los Angles. She even now knew how things had gone for Sara the first time around. Speaking of Sara, she appeared in the clearing.   
  
"Hey," Sara said.  
  
"Hello," Cianna replied. "Do you remember what happened?"  
  
"Yeah," Sara said. "All of it."   
  
"Everyone you cared about died," Cianna sighed. "And I was stuck in LA."  
  
"Wasn't your fault."  
  
"You needed me here," Cianna protested. "I should have sensed that. I should have been here."  
  
"It literally doesn't matter now," Sara replied.  
  
"Things may not end the same way this time," Elizabeth spoke up. "You are both ready to face what is ahead of you."  
  
Cathian placed her hands on Cianna's shoulders. "I am so proud of you. You have come across the time you were born for. You will not fail."  
  
  
The bar was nearly empty by now. Jake looked at the bullet letting everything Dante had told her sink in.  
  
"The White Bulls," Jake said. "Pretty damn hard-core. Risking everything for your ideals. Not a lot of people would do that."  
  
"Not just ideals, Jake," Dante replied. "What we risk everything for is people."  
  
"That's very noble."  
  
"Nah, not really," Dante said. "Considering the first people we take care of is each other."  
  
"So you what? Skim the first count at a robbery? Cop some drugs? A little protection here, a little graft there?"  
  
"Jake, what do you think happens to stolen money that we recover? Say, you know, drug money. After a trial?"  
  
"Never thought about it."  
  
"It gets destroyed," Dante replied. "Incinerated. Now why shouldn't it keep my dad out of a home or send your kid to NYU? Huh? Now, you wanna call that stealing? I don't."  
  
"What do you call it?" Jake asked.  
  
"Justice. Balancing the scales," Dante said picking up their bill. "Now as I said to you, this invitation is offered to you one time and one time only."  
  
"And what if I say no," Jake said.  
  
"Well," Dante said standing. "We'll both forget this conversation ever took place."  
  
Jake stood. "That sounds like a threat."  
  
"We never threaten," Dante headed towards the door. "We have a code and we never break it."  
  
"How was I chosen?"  
  
"Very carefully. We never invite anyone to join who doesn't accept."  
  
Jake followed out the door. "Hell of a day."  
  
"Yeah," Dante said. "A life changer."  
  
"How long do I have to decide whether to come to your party?"  
  
"Well, the samurai say a decision should be made in seven heartbeats. We're going to give you a little longer, but not much."  
  
"If I agree," Jake said. "Then what?"  
  
" Well," Dante replied. "Every good thing has its price. There would be an initiation of sorts. A way for you to outwardly display the change that has taken place inside you. Kind of a baptism."  
  
"By fire?"  
  
"We'll discuss it when you accept. But I'll tell you one thing. Your price of admission will concern Sara Pezzini." Dante walked off.  
  
  
Danny was waiting for Sara and Cianna when they woke up. The tendrils were gone from around Sara. She slipped off the bed and pulled on a pair of jeans.   
  
"You made it," Danny said. "Though I knew you would."  
  
"You knew about the time reversal," Cianna smiled at him.  
  
"Of course," Danny replied.  
  
Sara went to Danny to hug him.  
  
"We can't touch any more, Sara," Danny backed away from her. "You can see into my world, but you don't live here."  
  
"What do you mean?" Sara asked.  
  
"You're no longer dying," Danny replied.  
  
"You're right, Danny, because I'm not afraid to. Not any more," Sara put an arm around Cianna. "We have a job to do, together. And we still need your help."  
  
  
Ian watched Cianna and Sara talk for a while before returning to Irons.  
  
"It's over," he said when he entered the office. "They are alive."  
  
"Sara and the Witchblade are now one," Irons replied. "How do you feel about that?"  
  
"Proud of her, both of them actually," Ian said. "And honored to live in such an interesting time."  
  
"That makes our job more difficult. We can no longer take the Witchblade away from fair Sara, should it come to that. We would have to take her."  
  
"Is that even possible?" Ian asked.  
  
"Something tells me you will be the very first to know. Leave now. I'm busy."  
  
Ian departed the office. Late that night he sat outside of Cianna's apartment. She was asleep. He was surprised that she was, considering that she had slept for a long time today. She rolled over and kicked the top sheet off herself. Ian started to turn away until he noticed the tendrils wrapped around her. As he watched, the tendrils sunk into her skin. 


	8. Renaissance

Episode 8: Renaissance  
  
Kenneth Irons, holding a glass of brandy, stood in front of the large fireplace in his study. It had been days since Sara had passed the Periculum. He had hoped to talk to her about the test, but she had so far refused two invitations to dinner. He was becoming tired of her attempts to show that she didn't need him. She most certainly did. So far Irons was still able to manipulate things his way, but it was becoming harder at every step. Momentarily he thought of eliminating Cianna, but she had proven her ability to keep herself alive. She seemed to be the hardest person involved with the Witchblade to kill, and might possible be the one to prove the curse that hovered over those who befriended Sara wasn't as powerful as originally believed.   
  
Irons drank the last of the brandy and sat the glass down. Things had reached a point where all of his plans could possibly go spiraling out of control. He needed to tip the scale in his favor once again. He moved towards his desk and hit the intercom on his phone.  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Dr. Immo, I need to speak with you in the study."  
  
  
Sara remembered everything now. She had started thinking about the whole thing as another life. She knew how Danny had died the first time around. How she alone had saved Irons and Ian from Mobius. How surprise Karen Bronte had been to see her. About the Isaacs and how she's meet Gabe. All her time with Conchobar. The mysterious death of Father Belamy, and the fight with Father Deltoro. And the first Periculum. She also knew how things had gone after the test. The double assassination and Ian turning himself in. How he'd told her he loved her then promptly beat up her partner. The hookers and the White Bulls. How Jake was an undercover FBI agent. That part still shocked her. Plus she knew who was pulling the White Bulls strings, and who had ordered the death of her father. Irons was going to pay.   
  
The strange part about knowing all this was not seeing Cianna in any of the visions. The girl had become such a large part of her life. Sara now knew what she had done without her but none of it had ended well. Everyone who had mattered that was still alive now had died in that other life. Joe, Gabe, Jake,...Ian. With Cianna's help she hoped to keep them all alive.   
  
Sara was surprised that Ian had become important to her. Yes, he was always there, tailing her. She was sure she only saw him every so often because he wanted her to see him. So she'd expected his presence. Her outlook on him had changed though when the visions hit her the day after the Periculum. She would never forget the look on his face when Dante and the other White Bulls shot him in the warehouse. Speaking of Dante she had expected him to call the meeting about Parsegian today, but he hadn't. One thing scared her more then any other though, the clone.  
  
"Hello," Jake said.  
  
"What?" Sara said his voice pulling her out of her thoughts.  
  
"Your phone is ringing."  
  
"Oh!" Sara pulled out her cell phone. "Hello."  
  
"Hey," Cianna said. "Um....can you come to 411 West 83rd street? We found one of Gabe's friends hanging from the ceiling.  
  
"Not good," Sara said into the phone. She turned to Jake. "DB at 411 West 83rd street."   
  
"Ok," came the reply as the car turned sharply.  
  
"How is he?" Sara said to Cianna.   
  
"He's ok," Cianna replied. "I think. He's sitting on the front steps."  
  
"OK, well, don't touch anything," Sara said. "We should be there soon." She hung up the phone.  
  
"So what's up?" Jake asked.  
  
"Ci and Gabe found one of Gabe's friends dead."   
  
"Ouch."   
  
"Yeah, that's what I thought," Sara said.   
  
She returned to her thoughts then. She'd been expecting this too. Cianna had seen the visions too, though from some things she had said Sara thought that maybe Ci knew more then she was telling.   
  
  
Cianna sat down next to Gabe on the steps. She sighed and wrapped her arms around him. At least she was prepared for this. Ok, so maybe not totally but the heads up from the blade had helped. Plus, Cianna knew who had killed Sly. She knew all the terrible things Kenneth Irons had ordered the one who was suppose to protect the Wielder to do. And she knew the outcome of that guardian's life. Cianna would do everything in her power to change things this time around to save lives in the end.   
  
"Who would do that to Sly?" Gabe said.   
  
Cianna inhaled sharply and turned to him. "No clue, sweetie." She hated lying to him, but she really didn't want to have to explain how she knew who'd done it. Especially when the man was sitting on top of a building down the street watching them. Sara and Jake showed up, saving Cianna from having to lie more. They both went in the house. A few minutes later some uniformed officers showed up. Cianna pulled Gabe to his feet and led him down the steps. He quickly sat down in the grass. Cianna turned to where Ian had been. He was gone. Probably back to Irons.   
  
Sara popped out of the house and pulled Cianna to the side. "Well?"  
  
"I............"  
  
"Cianna Templar, do you know who is responsible for this?"  
  
"Yes, but it wasn't his fault, and no one would believe me anyway," Cianna sighed.  
  
"Irons had Ian do it?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Thought so when I saw that one comic panel," Sara said. "Do you know what's up with that?"  
  
"Sly started to tell me about it the last time I talked to him, but he stopped," Cianna replied. "I'm almost positive it's suppose to be Irons and Ian though. Sly went to Art school on one of the grants Vorschlag gives out every year."  
  
"So reality and art got too close."  
  
"That's what I'm figuring."  
  
  
Ian stood in one corner of the office as Armand Parsegian sat down in the chair across from Irons' desk. Benjamin Wolf took up a stop behind the chair and glanced over his should at Ian.   
  
"Ian, I need you to run a small errand for me," Irons held out a package. Ian quickly crossed to the desk and took it. "Deliver that to Sara's apartment and inform her that I am looking forward to her joining me for dinner. Go."  
  
Ian stood staring at Irons for a second before turning on his heels and heading out of the office. He had always hated Irons deep in his heart, but since the visions he'd had after the Periculum he now truly despised the man. He did not know how much longer he could fake loyalty to the man whose greatest desire was to control the Wielder. He stopped in the lobby outside the office. The secretary was on her lunch break which was the reasoning behind the timing of the Parsegian meeting. Ian looked over his shoulder at the door and then went to his small office.  
  
The night before when Irons thought that Ian was watching Sara he had snuck into his office and set up a camera to feed to a small television in Ian's office. He laid the package down on his desk and pulled out the drawer with the TV in it. He pulled it out of the desk and clicked it on.  
  
"I need to burrow Wolf for a small task," Irons was telling Parsegian.  
  
"What about Nottingham?"   
  
"He can not carry out what I need done."  
  
"I thought you said he was perfect," Parsegian replied.  
  
"I thought he was, but a defect in his training seems to have popped up," Irons leaned back in his chair. "So may I hire Wolf away from you for a day or two?"  
  
"What about my security?"  
  
"I will see that you are whisked out of town before anyone knows you're gone."  
  
"How much are you paying?" Parsegian asked.  
  
"Twice what you pay him," Irons smiled coldly.   
  
"Well?" Parsegian looked over his shoulder.  
  
"If your safe," Wolf replied. "Then how can I refuse?"  
  
"Alright," Parsegian said. "You can have him, but only for three days."  
  
"Agreed," Irons pulled open a drawer and retrieved a folder from it. He handed it to Parsegian who handed it to Wolf.  
  
"Cute kid," Wolf replied inspecting the contents.  
  
"That 'kid' killed a Black Dragon with her bare hands."  
  
Wolf whistled. "Doesn't look it."  
  
"No she doesn't," Irons replied. "She gotten in my way far too many times, get rid of her."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
Ian flicked the TV off and put it back in the draw. He grabbed the package and headed out of the office and towards the elevator.  
  
  
Sara and Cianna both panting from exhaustion stood facing each other in an abandoned warehouse. Cianna held a sword in her hand while on Sara's wrist the Witchblade was ready for battle. Cianna had finally offered to train Sara in sword fighting, saying she had wanted to make sure that she passed the Periculum before training her. Sara still wasn't too sure about this whole idea, but it had proven an excellent way to burn off steam.  
  
"Stand down," Cianna said before walking towards where they had set the bottles of water.   
  
Sara walked towards her and sat on the floor. "So am I getting better?"  
  
"I'm not sure if it's the Witchblade or you, but someone is getting better," Cianna sat down. "I'm going to be sore for a week."  
  
"You!" Sara laughed. "You're a lot younger then I am."  
  
Cianna laughed as well but stopped when foot steps echoed through the large warehouse. Ian came stalking towards them, his large trench coat flowing behind him. Cianna folded her hands behind her head and laid back stretching. Sara smiled at the girl then looked back up at Ian. He stopped three feet in front of her and looked straight at her. Well, that's a switch, she thought.   
  
"Come to laugh at me?" Sara smiled.  
  
"Laugh at you?" Ian looked confused.  
  
"Yep, Ci here has been working with me on my sword skills."  
  
"I do not envy you, Cianna," Ian said. "Lady Sara can not possibly be an easy pupil."  
  
Cianna laughed. Sara crossed her arms and looked up at him surprised to see a smile gracing his handsome features.   
  
"I don't have to take this from either of you," Sara said.  
  
"Irons wishes for you to have dinner with him," Ian held out a package to her.   
  
Sara took it and looked at it disgusted. "Tell him I'd rather have dinner with Tommy Gallo."  
  
Ian's face suddenly turned serious. "Cianna, you're in danger."  
  
"When am I not in danger?" Cianna said sitting up.  
  
"Irons has hired Benjamin Wolf to kill you."  
  
"Hired someone?" Cianna asked. "He didn't try to order you to do it?"  
  
"He knows I would not obey that order," Ian looked down.  
  
"I understand," Cianna replied.  
  
"Well, I don't," Sara said. "I thought Parsegian and this Wolf guy were suppose to be dead by now."  
  
"Apparently not this time," Cianna replied standing. "I'm going to have to move again. My landlord is going to hate me."  
  
"Do you think he could actually hurt you?" Sara didn't really think anyone save maybe herself could hurt Cianna but she had to at least make sure.  
  
"I've come to the conclusion that only the Witchblade could kill Cianna," Ian said.  
  
"Pleasant thought," Sara stood up.   
  
"I'm not so sure about that," Cianna replied. "I'm still human after all."   
  
  
That night Ian knocked on the window to Cianna's apartment. She and Sara were packing up Cianna's things. It had been decided that the easiest way to get thought this latest threat was for Cianna to stay with Sara for awhile. However she had to move her things out of her apartment to at least make it appear at first like she'd left town. Ian knew that wouldn't fool Wolf for long if it even did at all. But they had to try every option given to them. Sara opened the window bringing Ian out of his thoughts. He slipped into the apartment.   
  
Cianna came out of the bathroom carrying a box. "Come to help us carry stuff to my car?"  
  
"I can if you would like me too," Ian reached down and picked up a box.  
  
"Good," Cianna started towards the door.  
  
Ian followed her into the hall to the elevator. More boxes were set there with Gabe sitting next to them.   
  
"I'm still not sure why you're moving, again, Ci," Gabe said standing.  
  
Sara came out into the hall with a box. "Because someone is trying to kill her."  
  
"What?" Gabe said.  
  
Cianna turned and gave Sara a look that basically said 'shut up.' Ian shook his head at the two as the doors opened. The group started loading the boxes onto the elevator.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" Gabe said.  
  
"Because you have enough on your mind at the moment," Cianna replied. "Don't worry, hun, I can take care of myself.  
  
"And besides," Sara said. "She's staying with me. Between Ian and the Witchblade I think we can keep her safe."  
  
"I hope so," Gabe said.  
  
Ian winched at the pain in the younger man's voice. He had tried to come up with a way to make Irons think he'd killed Sylvester without actually performing the deed. But if he hadn't done it and Irons had found out they'd be in a worse position then they already were. Irons didn't trust Ian, that was obvious, but if Ian actively disobeyed an order then it would give grounds of Irons to end his life. And Ian highly doubted his clone's ability or concern to guard both Sara and Cianna.  
  
  
The next morning, Sara awoke to the smell of coffee and bacon permeating the apartment. Her alarm suddenly started blaring. Reaching out, Sara slapped the button to silence the wretched device. She rolled out of bed. Gathering cloths for the day, she padded into the bathroom. She emerged fifteen minutes later, cleaner but no less tired.  
  
"Morning, sleepyhead," Cianna sat two glasses of orange juice on the table.  
  
Sara yawned in reply and poured herself some coffee. Half a cup later, she turned to the table. There were three plates each piled with bacon eggs and toast. Cianna was walking towards the fire escape. Before Sara could ask about the third plate, the girl had thrown open the window and stuck her head out. Sara glanced at the clock. Jake would be there any minute. She sat and began eating. Her meal was half eaten by the time Cianna led Ian to the table.  
  
"Now sit," Cianna instructed the assassin. "You are no good to us if you starve yourself."  
  
Looking slightly dejected, Ian sat. "Good morning, Lady Sara," he didn't look up from his plate.  
  
Sara glanced at Cianna then back at him, "Morning, Ian." There was a honk from outside. "That's Jake," Sara stood yet didn't miss the glare Ian threw in the direction of the noise. What's up with that, she thought. She put the empty plate in the sink. She grabbed her jacket then turned to Cianna. "Be careful, and don't pull that trick you pulled on Gabe and I the last time."  
  
"Of course not," Cianna smiled. "Have a good day."  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Sara went down the stairs and out the door.  
  
  
"I thought you got over that," Cianna said glaring at Ian. "You and I both know that McCarthy is an Agent. You may not like it but your going to have to live with it."  
  
Ian sighed and looked at her. "I think I spotted Wolf on my way over."  
  
Cianna stood and grabbed his empty plate as well as hers. "Don't change the subject on me." She dropped the two plates in the sink.   
  
"I am simply informing you of the status of the man who has been sent to kill you," Ian replied standing. "I am suppose to protect you."  
  
"I thought we went over this already," Cianna sighed walking towards the couch. "You protect Sara."  
  
"And the best way to do that at the moment is to protect you," Ian followed her. "Don't get too close to the windows please."  
  
"Is that why you almost popped a blood vessel when I stuck my head out to coax you in for breakfast?"  
  
"Cianna, please do not make my job any harder then it already is," Ian replied. "Wolf is a worthy opponent. He is an excellent marksmen."  
  
There was a crashing sound from downstairs. A women's scream could be heard from below. Ian rushed to the window. Six people were running out of the building. Wolf. Instincts took over as Ian shoved Cianna towards the fire escape. He was closing the window as he heard Sara's door crash open. He followed Cianna down the fire escape. They ran down the half crowded street away from the building. Ian turned to look over his shoulder. Wolf was coming down the fire escape. Cianna ducked into an alley.   
  
"Now....what?" she panted.  
  
"I'm not sure," Ian said pulling her farther into the alley.   
  
"We can't go to Gabe's. I won't put him in that much danger," Cianna stopped near a fire escape. "The precinct?"  
  
"And what are you going to tell them?"  
  
"The truth," Cianna said.  
  
"That my employer hired Armand Parsegian's bodyguard to kill you, and I'm helping you?"  
  
"Ok, so its..." She stopped her eyes widening as she looked past Ian.  
  
Ian turned to find Wolf standing at the entrance to the alley. Ian stepped in front of Cianna. Wolf fired in a pattern Ian didn't understand, but he didn't have to know the pattern to catch the bullets. The sound of a bullet flying past his ear caused Ian to turn. In the second before the bullet reached its target Ian understood. Wolf had fired in a way to make Ian move from in front of Cianna. The girl dropped to the ground, a red patch forming on her white shirt. Ian closed the gap between himself and Wolf and broke the man's neck.   
  
He turned to go to Cianna's side, but was surprised to find a man with unruly blonde hair crotched next to her. The man looked up at him. Ian had seen the man before, but had now idea who he was.  
  
"She was a warrior, Knight," the man said closing her eyes. "She knew her fate." With that he was gone.  
  
Ian rushes to Cianna's side. He'd failed. Failed so miserably. How could he been expected to protect Sara from the enemies of the Witchblade when he could not even protect Cianna from a mere mortal. He pulled Cianna's body close to him and for the first time in his life, wept.  
  
"Ian?"  
  
Ian looked up to find Lady Sara staring down at him. When she saw Cianna, she gasped and backed away. She leaned against the wall, covering her mouth with her hand. Ian let Cianna go to comfort his lady. Sara didn't protest when Ian wrapped his arms around her.   
  
"I'm sorry, Sara," Jake said stepping close. "Looks like the guy in the suit shot the girl. The guy's neck is broken."  
  
"I did that," Ian said burying his face in Sara's hair. It smelled so wonderful.   
  
Sara pulled away from Ian and he released her. Tears rolled down her face as she looked down at the girl. "Jake, can you handle this? Tell Dante to put someone else on the case," she managed to get out.  
  
"Yeah," Jake said nodding. "Want me to take you home?"  
  
"No," Sara replied. "Ian can."  
  
"He needs to go in for questioning, Sara," Jake replied. "He just admitted to killing a man."  
  
"Jake!" Sara cried. "Wolf is still holding a gun, it was self defense. Ian was trying to protect Cianna."  
  
Jake started to say something but Ian glared at him and the blonde shut his mouth. Ian led Sara out of the alley and towards her home.  
  
  
Irons stood in front of the window in his office. Ian had been gone an awful long time. He had been right to be cautious of the younger man's loyalties. Wolf was dead, obviously by Ian hand. However the goal had been reached. The girl was dead as well. Irons took a deep breath. Time to move on with the next part of his plan.   
  
"How will he react to the other one still being alive?" Irons turned to Immo.  
  
"There is no way of predicting what either of their reactions will be," the doctor replied.   
  
  
Sara tried to compose herself as she went to answer the door. She'd called Gabe almost as soon as she had gotten home. Ian, who had been sitting on the couch, moved to the side into the shadows. Taking a deep breath she opened the door.  
  
"What's wrong?" Gabe asked upon seeing the look on Sara's face.  
  
"You'd better sit down first," Sara led him up the stairs and towards the couch.  
  
"Its Cianna, isn't it?" Gabe sat.  
  
"Yes, it is," Sara sat next to him. "Wolf got her, today in an alley."  
  
Gabe's eyes filled with sorrow then rage. Ian had come out of the shadows. Gabe jumped up and stalked towards the taller man.  
  
"You were suppose to protect her," Gabe said near tears.  
  
"I know," Ian replied sorrowfully. "I failed."  
  
"Gabe," Sara came near them. "Blaming Ian won't do you any good."  
  
"Sara," Danny suddenly appeared. "Remember what Elizabeth said."  
  
Sara looked at the two living men. Ian was looking right at Danny like he could see him, and Gabe seemed out of it enough to maybe not notice. "I think she's a little past the healing part, Danny."  
  
"Cathian suggested that," Danny replied. "Elizabeth said you were both ready for what was ahead of you. And Septima..."  
  
"Said that Cianna was the key to change," Sara finished. "But she's dead now."  
  
"Kerry," Ian suddenly said. Sara couldn't miss the light bald that seemed to go off in his eyes.  
  
"What about her?" Sara asked looking at Gabe, who had moved away to sit on the couch again. Poor guy was really out of it to miss all this.  
  
"Irons brought her body back from ashes so her spirit could rejoin it," Ian said. "If we could find the ashes from Cianna's first body, we might be able to do the same." Ian suddenly turned to Gabe. "Gabriel, I know you are in shock at the moment but I must have the answer to a very important question. Did you find out what the symbol was that I gave not long before you meet Sara?"  
  
"Yeah," Gabe sighed. "Friend of mine translated it. It's a warning, means dark one."  
  
"Kerry was the dark twin," Sara said coming closer  
  
"Right," Ian nodded to her. "Gabe, could you find out what means here light one?"  
  
"Yeah," Gabe's eyes seemed to refocus. "What are you guys talking about?"  
  
"A way to get Cianna back," Sara replied. "She is connected to the Witchblade. It's a really long story, but all you really need to know is that this might work, and we need that symbol."  
  
  
Sara followed Ian into Gabe's shop that evening. The younger man sat in front of his computer. He looked up as they walked closer. From the expression on his face he had obviously made progress.  
  
"Well?" Sara waved her arms trying to get him to spill.  
  
"Found it," Gabe replied smiling. He stood and walked over to a shelf and grabbed an urn. "I recognized the symbol as soon as my friend showed it to me. The last time Ci and I cleaned I noticed she was looking at this urn. I think she knew exactly what it was. So what is it?"  
  
Sara looked at Ian while trying to decide the best way to explain Cianna's role with the Witchblade to him. For a moment she hoped Ian would tell him for her. He nodded towards Gabe then towards the Witchblade. She glanced down at the bracelet. It was strangely quiet. Some help you are, Sara though towards the Blade. It swirled in response.  
  
"It contains the ashes of Cianna's first life."  
  
Gabe stared at her for a full minute, then he handed the urn to Ian. "That makes no sense, but we'll just leave it there for the moment. So what's next?"  
  
"Good question," Sara looked at Ian.  
  
"I don't know what incantation was used," Ian sighed and closed his eyes.  
  
Sara sat down in a chair. She looked down at the Witchblade. Do something, she thought to the Blade.  
  
"Find Lazar," Elizabeth appeared in the corner.  
  
"Who?" Sara replied.  
  
"Are you alright?" Gabe asked.  
  
Sara waved at him to get him to be quiet.   
  
"Lazar, Sara, find him," Elizabeth said.  
  
"How?" Sara pleaded.  
  
"Call to him, he'll come," Elizabeth smiled then disappeared.  
  
She took a deep breath. She looked from Ian to Gabe. The she turned to speak to the air. Please let this work. "Lazar, I need you."  
  
  
Ian watched as the blonde haired man who had appeared when Cianna had died reappeared three feet in front of Sara.   
  
"How may I help you, Wielder?" Lazar bowed his head.  
  
"We need the incantation to restore Cianna's ashes," Sara replied.  
  
"It is in the book, Sara." With that he disappeared.  
  
"What book?" Gabe asked.  
  
Sara looked at Ian. Lazar must have meant the Witchblade book, which was back at the office. It could be worse, the book could have been at the mansion. Ian set the urn down on a shelf.   
  
"Ian, can you go get it?" Sara sounded hesitant.   
  
"Of course," he moved towards the door. "I will return soon."  
  
With that he headed down towards his car. As he neared Vorschlag Industries, a feeling of dread started in the pit of his stomach. What if Irons was there? It was late enough that he should have returned to the mansion. Ian sighed. He had to get the book no matter what. So much depended on it.   
  
  
Sara and Gabe paced as they waited for Ian to return. Maybe she should have gone with him.   
  
"Do you think he can get it?" Gabe said.  
  
"Of course," Sara hid her own doubt for his sake.  
  
"Do you even know if this will work?" Gabe reached out and touched the urn.  
  
"It did before."  
  
He turned towards her, "Before?"  
  
"On her sister," Sara replied. He was glad he was in the line of work he was in, he expected things so much easier.  
  
They had sat in silence for about ten minutes until her phone rang.  
  
She grabbed it out of her pocket. "Pez."  
  
"Hey Sara, its Jake. How you doing?"  
  
Sara sighed. "I'm fine Jake. Is something up? I called Dante and he told me to take the next couple of days off." That had actually surprised Sara.   
  
"Yeah, actually," Jake replied. "The Templar girl's body disappeared from the morgue."  
  
"What?"   
  
"Vicky doesn't know how it happened. She turned her back for two seconds and it was gone. She's really upset, Pez."  
  
"Ok, I'll call her. Thanks Jake." Sara hung up the phone. This whole thing just kept getting weirder. So did Irons have Cianna's body, or did its disappearance have something to do with the Witchblade.  
  
The door suddenly opened and Ian walked in. He was carrying the book.  
  
  
  
"So no one else remembers that I was dead, not even Gabe?" Cianna looked at Sara the next morning as they ate breakfast.  
  
"Right," Sara sat back down after getting more coffee. "To them you were just in the hospital for a day with a minor arm wound where a bullet grazed you. Ian, Irons, and I seem to be the only ones that know what really happened."  
  
"Well, its probably a good thing. It would be kinda hard to explain if everyone remembered. So, what did Ian say when he left?"  
  
"That he'd help us move you back into your apartment on my day off," there was a honk outside. "That's Jake, got to go." 


End file.
